What began as a simple family tradition — Josh Irwin crafting tacos for up to 25 friends and extended family members on any given week — quickly became a South County destination once word got out. Taco Tuesdays remains, but for the rest of the week Cantina 229 showcases world fare made local, with much of the produce and meat coming right from the Irwin farm. Small plates include rillette croquettes ($12), crispy pulled pork piled atop pickles, cilantro aioli and mustard greens followed with beet tartine ($10), a base of Berkshire Mountain Bakery olive bread, roasted red and golden beets, Rawson Brook chevre and black pesto. Irwin’s training in southeast Asia shows in the pork and ginger dumplings ($10), made with Irwin’s own pork served with sesame and scallion dipping sauce. Pa jun ($8), is a crisp leek, scallion and chive pancake’ bibimbap ($15), is a melange of crispy rice, marinated vegetables, kimchi, fried egg, crispy shallots, bap hot sauce and bulgogi beef. The reviewer’s favorite was favorite was a diminutive serving of the MA striped bass entree ($24) served with a bright green basil spaetzle from the kitchen garden, baby squash and buttered garlic scapes. The atmosphere is lively and convivial yet intimate. We hear the place is hopping, so best make reservations. Read the full review here.

229 Hartsville New Marlboro Road
New Marlborough, MA
(413) 229-3276
Open nightly (closed Wednesday and Thursday) , 5-9 p.m.
Sunday brunch beginning at 10 a.m.
Reservations suggested.

By Lisa Green

When Joanna Virello moved to Hillsdale, New York from the city, the food publicist knew she wanted to do a food event. “This is God’s country,” she says. “I wanted to shine a spotlight on the town.”

That spotlight will shed a glow on not just the town but the bounty coming out of the Route 22 corridor in a new event, Grillsdale 2016 at the Hilltop Barn at Roeliff Jansen Park on Saturday, Aug. 27 from 6-10:30 p.m., rain or shine.

Grillsdale will be more than a farm-to-table food fest. It will be a grill competition among some of the most renowned chefs in the area, special big name guests from New York and beyond, celebrity judges, local beverage purveyors, three alt-country bands, and a raffle for a Raleigh Port Townsend bike (complete with beer rack). Of course, all of the meat and produce will be coming from local farms, but the offerings may be a little different from what you’ve seen at other outdoor get-togethers.

The entry fee includes tastings of nine different dishes, including Mexican sliders from Dafna Mizrahi of Monte’s Local Kitchen and Tap Room (she was a Chopped champion); pork belly tacos from Charlie Norman of 52 Main in Millerton and an Argentine dish by special guest Rolo Scarpetti who runs a restaurant in southern Brazil. Jack Peele from JACüTERIE at Herondale Farm will be serving Thai/Vietnamese bahn mi with Thai sausage. David Wurth of Crossroads Café in Hillsdale will supply dessert.

And don’t cross this event off your list if you’re a vegetarian. Justin Panzer from The Oakhurst Diner will be grilling veggies on a six-foot grill, and there’ll be an auxiliary grill offering Mexican street corn.

Judges include John Markus of BBQ Pitmasters fame (and a Craryville resident) and Steven Abrams, CEO and owner of Magnolia Bakery and the newly spawned downtown NYC branch of JG Mellon, which is considered by some to be the best burger joint in the city (he’s also an Ancram resident). Attendees will get to vote, too.

Virello says once she and her cohorts at the Hillsdale-based events team Shire 935 Productions (Barbara Olsen Pascale and Meghan McCann) had the concept in place, they received an incredible amount of cooperation from local restaurants, farms, businesses and town officials. And because Virello is both a food and bicycling fanatic, she wanted the event to have a bike-related component. “It was a no-brainer to involve the Hudson Valley Rail Trail,” she says. A portion of the event proceeds will be contributed to the trail.

Chefs competing on grills in the hills, showcasing not only their grill skills but the quality and range of meat and produce at our local and regional farms. What could be better? Tickets are moving fast; reserve yours now.

Grillsdale 2016
Saturday, Aug. 27, 6-10:30 p.m.
Hilltop Barn at Roeliff Jansen Park
9140 Rt. 22, Hillsdale, NY
Tickets, $65

By Jamie Larson

Lil’ Deb’s Oasis, in Hudson, New York, is a hard restaurant to define. And that’s enticing. Painted up like a tiki bar, yet still retaining the comfort of a local diner, Oasis feels fresh and relevant in a way you might intellectualize a modern art exhibit. And that’s intentional.

Run for 20 years as Debbie’s Lil’ Restaurant, owner Debbie Fiero handed the keys to Hannah Black and Carla Perez-Gallardo, who splashed the walls with bright pastel pinks and greens and blues, draping the place in art and texture.

“It’s an overall food experience,” says Black. “It’s an ever-evolving art installation platform. We are creating our own language.”

We could talk design all day, but let’s move on to the specials. Bright, herbaceous, citrusy flavors are the linchpin to the whole experience. The menu board can feature any number of unexpected plates but there is always a ceviche of the day (market price) that tastes as good as it looks. There’s also a whole fried fish. It’s striking visually and there’s just no place else you’re going to see it around here — not regularly anyway — and not at their price point (around $30, depending on market).

“We weren’t sure it was going to work, but it sells out,” Black says.

“It’s emblematic of what we are trying to do,” Perez-Gallardo says. “I’m really happy people have responded.”

The friends often finish each other’s thought, or speak in tandem. “We love warm vivacious flavors,” Black says, followed by Perez-Gallardo. “It’s tropical comfort food — food from warm places. It’s about creating taste pictures.”

They are artists first and their other roles as cooks, community members, friends, bartenders, proud female business owners and role models for some ever-present young girls are all positions informed by that. Their artistic approach to cooking has been attracting a loyal following of locals, weekenders and at least one celebrity.

“This is the only place to eat in the Hudson Valley,” actress Gabby Hoffman said as she grabbed a smoothie and dipped out one recent afternoon.

Perez-Gallardo at the smoothie window.

Oasis is open for dinner from 5-10 p.m. but it also serves fresh smoothies out the front window from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The ladies confess they aren’t morning people so they don’t serve lunch, but since they’re at the restaurant in the afternoon prepping anyway they figured they’d sling tasty, healthy drinks while they do it. It’s such a refreshing, well-executed play you’d think it was the plan from the start.

Black and Perez-Gallardo, a Bard alum who cut her teeth at Panzur, met when Black needed help on the much-loved Catskill Mill Vietnamese-style food truck two years ago. They quickly bonded over their similarities in artistry, travel and taste. Last summer Black and Perez-Gallardo started doing artistically curated catering as Table/Table and did four popups at Debbie’s on Tuesdays (the night when most Hudson restaurants are closed), before getting the offer to take over in January.

“Debbie is this small feisty fireball,” Black begins, and Perez-Gallardo continues. “She’s run the place on her own. She’s inspirational. This feels like a continuation.”

Both women have spent recent stretches of time traveling South America and Mexico, Perez-Gallardo in Ecuador, where she has family, and Black, from Alabama by way of Rhode Island School of Design, working at a Mexican beachfront restaurant. Those are the places where their culinary influence starts but then it’s adapted on the fly. Both women bristle at the ubiquitous descriptor “fusion.” The influencing tradition is there but the dishes are their own.

Not to be outdone by the specials, there’s also a tight menu of staple offerings including mojo chicken with rice, lentils and orange salsa verde ($16), grilled octopus with radicchio and smoked avocado ($18), mussels in a coconut tomato broth ($17) and others. You can also snack on deviled eggs with pickled onion and chili oil ($4), yucca fries ($7) or salt cod fritters with green plantains ($9) as a side or with a glass of wine. The ladies recently received their tavern license and are pretty happy about it, writing poems to describe their wine’s flavors, rather than the traditional old list of nouns and adjectives.

Black and Perez-Gallardo

“We get people interested in the wine instead of wine words,” says Perez-Gallardo.

Lil’ Deb’s Oasis feels relevant. What Perez-Gallardo and Black are doing differently there is delicious in flavor and funky in atmosphere, and a happy addition to Hudson’s culinary neighborhood.

Lil’ Deb’s Oasis
747 Columbia St., Hudson, NY
(518) 828-4307

Open Tuesday-Saturday
Smoothie Window: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Dinner: 5-10 p.m.
Cash only

Rachel Louchen reports from Washington. You could hardly find a better venue for a garden party than charming Washington with its renovated farmhouses and rolling pastures — the entire town oozes New England charm, even as the heat index hit 108 degrees. On Saturday, August 13, the 19th annual Tea For Two Hundred party, to benefit the Interfaith AIDS Ministry of Greater Danbury and Gunn Historical Museum, was held, as always, at the of home Gary Goodwin and Gael Hammer (above left with his daughter, Evie). While years past have brought out hundreds of guests, the soaring temperature kept the attendance lower but no less spirited, as people were still decked out in the customary all-white ensembles and oversized hats, aided this year by matching paper fans. The beautiful grounds had enough room to hold several tents for a silent auction, live music by “The Beehive Queen” Christine Ohlman and many stations to refill the mandatory glass of iced tea.

Gunn Museum director Louise Van Tartwijk and former board president Barbara Kohn.

Laura Daly, who very appropiately judged the hat contest with Carolyn Setlow and Zemma White; Robert Fisher, museum council member Nick Solley, Suzie Haines and Aubrey Haines.

Major hat contest contenders Jeannette Mahoney, Jackie Mahoney and Linda Leidel .

Melody Levey, happily attending her third Two For Two Hundred event with Shelley Lowell, a first-timer; Lucy Clementi, executive director of Interfaith AIDS Ministry of Greater Danbury and Claudio Lameira.

Claire Fisher and Adam Falis; Vladimir Kaplan, Carola Cherief and Dan Neumann.

Douglas Garfinkel, Dominic DiMattia, Danilo Silvia and John Ripley, a 15-year attendee.

Amy Krzanik reports from Pittsfield. It was a hoedown scheduled on what turned out to be one of the steamiest (and later, summer-stormiest) of the year, but that didn’t stop supporters from flocking to Hancock Shaker Village’s Summer Revival on Saturday, Aug. 20. Much of the credit for the fantastic turnout goes to this year’s gala co-chairs, Darin Johnson and Greg Keffer, who more than doubled 2015’s attendance. Guests nibbled on artisanal cheeses and charcuterie in the Shaker Gardens, and feasted on a farm-to-table meal prepared on site by Fire Roasted Catering. Dessert — adorably decorated mini cupcakes and delicious banana pudding — was provided by NYC’s Magnolia Bakery. A silent auction featuring trips, dining experiences and Shaker collectibles led into a live auction which offered private dinners prepared by popular local chefs David Wurth and Brian Alberg. Money raised will go to support the Village’s daily operations and educational programming, while the “cause-within-a-cause” part of the live auction will fund the restoration of the Shaker Brick Dwelling, considered an architectural icon, and other historic buildings. A special musical performance by The Lonely Heartstring Band out of Boston, Mass. capped off the successful evening event. [Above, HSV trustee and gala co-chair Darin Johnson, Kathy Cain, HSV president and CEO Linda Steigleder and gala co-chair Greg Keffer.]

Richard Chandler, Ken Schwartz and Marc Hacker; Danielle Cohen and Matt Cohen.

HSV board member Tracy Goodnow with friends Ginny Anderson and Jeff Belmont; Ben Boyd, Kevin Blanchette, Carlos Saavedra, Justin Leibolt and Vincent Metallo.

Matt Eastwood, Adrian Pollack, Stephen Viksjo, David Roady, Daniel Strassburger and Gabriel Beaton.

Keith Scott with Tessa Edick of FarmOn! Foundation; a group of guests pose with a friendly calf from the farm.

Overseer Elaine Christopher, board vice-chair Mary Rentz, Krista Mangiardi, the Village’s program registrar and gifts officer, and Kelly and Dave Milligan of Balance Rock Investment Group, who are underwriting this summer’s exhibit, Living on Earth: The Work of Robert Hite.

The Lonely Heartstring Band, from Boston, Mass., entertains the crowd under the tent.

The 1826 Round Stone Barn glows in the blue twilight of the evening.

One of our favorite events every summer is The Sylvia Center’s Farm-to-Table dinner, hosted by Great Performances in the fields of Katchkie Farm in Kinderhook, N.Y. The mission of The Sylvia Center is to inspire young people and their families to eat well through hands-on learning experiences on the farm and in the kitchen. Julie Cerny, farm education director and garden manager at The Sylvia Center, offers us recipes the teenagers are learning to make.

It has been hot. We’re all feeling it. Tabbouleh is a great recipe for hot days, requiring only minimal time near the stove while also employing the cooling effects of cucumbers and parsley. Add in some diced red onion to build on the bite of the green onions if you want more of a kick. Or, if you want to toss in more herbs, we suggest purple basil; both the flavor and color are complimentary.

Summer Herb Tabbouleh
Serves 4 to 6

2 cups bulgur wheat
4 cups water
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbs. lemon juice
1½ tbs. honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup chives chopped
3 green onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
¼ cup diced fresh tomatoes
¼ cup diced cucumbers

1. Add 2 cups bulgur to 4 cups cold water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 12—15 minutes or until tender. Drain off excess liquid. Makes 4 to 5 cups cooked bulgur.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, honey and ½ tsp. salt until the honey and salt dissolve. Whisk in the olive oil. Add minced garlic.

3. Pour the oil mixture over the bulgur. Add the tomatoes, cucumbers, chives, green onions and parsley, and toss well. Season with pepper, then taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, and serve.

The Rural Intelligence region is fortunate to have so many gardening experts close by. Our garden writer, Madaline Sparks, is the principal in her own design, installation and maintenance business, Madaline Sparks Garden Design, with clients in Columbia and Berkshire counties. For 12 years she was the contributing garden editor at Real Simple Magazine. Madaline and her husband, Wayne Greene, live in Spencertown, NY where both are very active volunteers at Spencertown Academy Arts Center.

Every year at The Berkshire Botanical Garden in Stockbridge Mass., the curators invite some of the region’s most talented garden and landscape designers to create individual container gardens that are sited throughout the garden. The exhibit is called “Contained Exuberance.” Tucked away in different spots around this 15-acre horticultural gem, visitors come upon these surprise arrangements as they stroll the grounds viewing the permanent beds and display gardens, which are open to the public from May to mid-October.

I was flattered to be asked to design a group of pots this year for the second time. A few years ago, I created an arrangement of succulents of all varieties planted in my own collection of repurposed galvanized tubs, barrels and buckets. I was assigned a spot in full sun on a stone terrace, so I wanted to choose something heat tolerant and tough, but unusual. There are countless varieties of succulents, from the huge-leaved Kalanchoe gastonis-bonnieri (Donkey ears) to the tiniest baby fingernail-sized chartreuse Sedum ‘Ogon.’ I absolutely adore succulents! Many look like they were either designed by Dr. Seuss or landed on earth from another planet.

This year I chose a spot in the shade and decided to use three graduated vertical containers created by concrete designer Justin Madsen of Marveled Designs, which matched the beautiful bench that he would be displaying at BBG this summer in their “Benched” exhibit. For plant selection, first I chose a color palette, in this case, purples and greens. I specifically focused on foliage plants rather than flowers to minimize maintenance, with no need for deadheading. Removal of yellowing leaves is about all that’s called for and just a few times during the growing season; the more aggressive growers can be trimmed and shaped to keep in balance with the various plants in relation to each other.

Because the light green containers are simple in shape with a contemporary style, I selected a few feature plants that offer dramatic form and interesting texture, exhibiting one or more of colors in the palette. I underplanted them with smaller-leaved choices to soften the hard lines of the pots and to carry the color story through all the vessels. Some act as “ground covers,” some as fillers and some as trailers, to drip down the sides of the pots in soft contrast to the hard surface behind them.

In the tallest pot, I used Alternanthera dentate ‘purple knight,’ Alocasia ‘Regal Shield’ (elephant ear) and Ipomoea batatas ‘illusion emerald lace’ (sweet potato vine). In the medium pot went Alternanthera dentate ‘rubiginosa,’ Dypsis lutescens (areca palm) and Ipomoea batatas ‘sweet Georgia deep purple’ (sweet potato vine).

In the smallest pot, I planted a Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’ (purple fountain grass) and underplanted that with Asplenium bulbiferum (mother fern). I hoped the purple fountain grass would maintain both green and purple leaves for my color scheme if it was sited in mostly shade rather than turning solid reddish-purple as it does in full sun. I’m happy to report that it has performed as planned, and I’m very pleased with the way it turned out.

There are nine container arrangements created by designers on view at BBG into mid-September along with a fascinating group of benches of all kinds, not to mention that the display gardens are all in their glory right now! It’s worth the trip to take in all this horticultural beauty before the season ends.

Formerly 20 Railroad Street, it’s now owned by Great Barrington native Ben Downing and Laura Shack of Firefly in Lenox. Daily blackboard specials might include potato croquettes ($9), an appetizer served with bright romesco sauce, crumbles of Rawson Brook Farm chevre and a sprinkling of parsley. Other specials have included a fried chicken sandwich served with remoulade, bread and butter pickled peppers and a side of potato salad ($14) and a lamb sandwich boasting caper raisin puree and garlic yogurt on a brioche bun with mixed greens ($15). The mussels ($12) from the “Starters and Shared” section of the menu arrive in a towering heap, bathed in coconut curry, basil, cilantro, mint and scallions, served with toasted focaccia for mopping up the sweet and creamy broth. The poutine ($8) features house-cut potato frites, cheese curds, Guinness gravy and fresh herbs; the Southwestern poutine ($10) substitutes tomatillo salsa, pulled pork and cilantro for the cheese curds and gravy. There’s also a Reuben ($14) and a kale salad ($9) served with roasted grape tomatoes, creamy manchego dressing, Aleppo pepper and manchego tuile. Ten taps will keep the beer enthusiast happy, and craft cocktails will do the same for others. Read the full review here.

20 Railroad Street, Great Barrington, MA
(413) 528-9345
Tuesday - Sunday, 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.; 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. (bar stays open until midnight)

Run for 20 years as Debbie’s Lil’ Restaurant, owner Debbie Fiero handed the keys to Hanna Black and Carla Perez-Gallardo, who splashed the walls with bright pastel pinks and greens and blues, draping the place in art and texture. Bright, herbaceous, citrusy flavors are the linchpin to the whole experience. The menu board can feature any number of unexpected plates but there is always a ceviche of the day and a whole fried fish (market price) that taste as good as they look. There’s also a tight menu of staple offerings including mojo chicken with rice, lentils and orange salsa verde ($16), grilled octopus with radicchio and smoked avocado ($18), mussels in a coconut tomato broth ($17) and others. You can also snack on deviled eggs with pickled onion and chili oil ($4), yucca fries ($7) or salt cod fritters with green plantains ($9) as a side or with a glass of wine. Open for dinner, there’s also a Smoothie Window serving tasty drinks during midday. Read the full review here.

747 Columbia St., Hudson, NY
(518) 828-4307
Open Tuesday-Saturday
Smoothie Window: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Dinner: 5-10 p.m.
Cash only

Chef Pierre Cum and his wife, Candice Rischner, have updated face of the former Neighborhood Diner into GB Eats. The spot is now turning out plate after plate of gorgeously presented food that reflects a daring foray into myriad regions while locally sourcing ingredients wherever possible; this marriage has resulted in some seriously creative dishes that run the gamut from traditional to edgy.

On a recent Saturday morning, there is a steady stream of buttermilk pancakes ($7.50) coming from the kitchen, served with pure maple syrup from the Catskills and a house-made blueberry compote. The kale breakfast salad ($9) is a favorite, served with bacon, white cheddar and house-made maple balsamic dressing; two variations on Eggs Benedict, one with house-made crab cakes ($12) and the other with house-made French potato cakes as a base ($10), boast the additions of avocado and arugula. My favorite barista/server, Michael, enthusiastically suggests the shakshuka ($10), a traditional North African dish that was adopted by the Israelis. It comes in a cast-iron skillet brimming with three eggs poached in stewed tomatoes, bell peppers, potatoes and feta cheese with a side of toasted ciabatta.

There are some equally interesting lunch/dinner items to choose from. The chopped cobb salad ($12) is a refreshing twist on the classic and features grilled antibiotic- and hormone-free chicken breast with bacon, apples, smoked gouda, red onion and boiled eggs. There is a grilled brisket sandwich ($11), house made with Black Angus beef, and a Berkshire melt ($10) featuring fresh mozzarella, avocado, tomato and basil pesto on grilled Berkshire Mountain Bakery sourdough. In addition to two takes on a burger, the pork banh mi ($10), crab cake Po Boy ($11) and Cali BLT ($10) reflect Cum and Rischner’s love of travel and desire to keep up with what’s new on the food scene. Read the full review.

282 Main St., Great Barrington, MA
(413) 528-8226
Open daily 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.

If you just want to hang out in the beautiful bright space, get a No. Six Depot coffee (out of West Stockbridge), but you’ll be tempted by the Speck sandwich featuring broccoli rabe, ricotta and red onion on an everything baguette. Or you can get Merguez sausage on grilled flatbread with nappa slaw and raita, salmon tartine, or a beautiful chicken salad. The chef’s favorite sandwich is a BLT with Daughters bacon, tomato jam and greens. All of the bread comes from Our Daily Bread in Chatham and they offer gluten-free loaves. On Fridays, Daughters serves burgers and that’s not something you want to miss out on.

Daughters also offers one of the best high-end craft beer selections you’re going to find in the region. The six-beer tap menu is killer and so are the offerings in the takeaway cooler. If you’re a beer aficionado, you may find the following information vitally important: this is the only location where you can buy cans and bottles of Other Half Brewing beer outside of the Brooklyn brewery’s taproom. Read the full review.

7466 S. Broadway, Red Hook, NY
(845) 835-8365
Tuesday - Thursday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Friday, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m. -  5 p.m.

While the contemporary interior is quite a departure from its original home in the Captain William Bull Tavern, the Mockingbird Kitchen & Bar suffers not for the change. Owner/Chef Tilley’s “locally sourced, globally flavored” cuisine remains the real draw. Pairing far-flung influences with seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, her dishes are creative yet approachable. Miso glazed salmon and a tofu curry spiked with lemongrass honors treasured travels while a rich confit de poulet or bright beet salad highlights the bounty found in our part of New England.

This carries through to the desserts and brunch menus. I’ve happily devoured a chocolate bread pudding and dug into my dinner companion’s carrot cake served with ginger ice cream. Brunch is no less decadent, with a beautifully presented, fluffy French toast with berries or spicy huevos rancheros on offer. If you’re looking for fare on the lighter side, Asian dumplings might fit the bill or perhaps a plate of oysters. Read the full review.

810 Bantam Road, Bantam, CT
(860) 361-6730
Closed Monday & Tuesday

Rachel Louchen reports from Great Barrington. Robin McGraw is a familiar face in the Rural Intelligence Parties section because he sits on the boards of Volunteers in Medicine, Berkshire Health Systems and Hospice Care in the Berkshires, and is a longtime supporter of Hancock Shaker Village, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation and Berkshire Museum. On Thursday, Aug. 18, Berkshire South rewarded him with a party of his own, honoring his dedicated work to Berkshire charities and organizations over the years. The annual gala, titled “Celebrating A Hero,” selects a member of the community whose work and dedication inspire all to help make the Berkshires a better place to live — something McGraw has been doing practically since he arrived in the Berkshires by way of attending Berkshire School as a child. The lobby of Berkshire South was filled to the max with friends, fellow board members and residents of the community who’ve witnessed first-hand all the charitable contributions that Robin, as well as his wife, equally notable philanthropist Buzz McGraw have given to their community. [Above, Robin McGraw flanked by his daughter, Annie and a previous recipient of Berkshire South’s gala, Barbara Manring.]

Kathy Kelly and Bert Gamberdella; Bobbie Glass and Lisa Marchi, director of development and communications at Berkshire South.

McGraw family members Rob and Andrea Hayes; Perry Weber, Maggie Buchwald and Stacey Gillis Weber.

Robin’s daughters, Maddie and Annie and his wife, Buzz McGraw, really get a kick out of his cardboard cutout in the lobby.

Berkshire South executive director Jenise Lucey and Ethel Patterson, board chair; Volunteers in Medicine board members Nancy Mills and Alice Lustig came to support Robin for all the work he has done for their organization.

Colin Smith, Lucia Mulder, Head of Berkshire School Pieter Mulder and Jennifer Gaenzle Smith; Gene Dellea and Cheryl Raifstanger.

Claudia Perles and Christine Flasher; Mark Rosengren and Caren Mercer.

Dr. Adrian Elliot, Crispin Tresp, Mary Tresp and Kay Cuthbertson.

Amy Krzanik reports from Great Barrington. The Saturday, Aug. 20 opening reception for Modern Treasure Chests, an exhibition of jewelry boxes by master artisans that is now on view at McTeigue & McClelland, also served as a reunion for the artists. All of the featured makers are friends of the jewelry atelier’s co-owner Tim McClelland, having been students along with him, or former faculty, at Boston University’s Program in Artisanry (PIA) or Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). McClelland was eager to see what his cohort was fashioning these days, and so sent out a request for handcrafted jewelry boxes. The responses are uniquely varied, intricately fashioned works of art that do double duty as vessels for fine jewels like the ones found in the shop. The treasure chests will be in place during normal business hours until Saturday, Sept. 24. [Above, the inside of artist Tom Loeser’s sculptural jewelry boxes.]

The shop’s co-owner, Tim McClelland, and exhibiting artist Rosanne Somerson, president of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD); Walter McTeigue, the jewelry atelier’s co-owner, with Bruce Beeken and Mark Del Guidice, whose work is featured in the show.

Artists with work in the show include Michael Hurwitz, James Schriber, Timothy Philbrick, Mitch Ryerson and John Everdell.

Beck Oakley, Trix Oakley and Susan Everdell; Blake Ferrara and Talia King.

Inside Jay Stanger’s furniture-sized jewelry box is even more eye-popping color.

Artist Tommy Simpson with Michael Anderson, Jane Vern and Karen LaFleur; Mark Del Guidice, his jewelry box, and McTeigue & McClelland general manager John Reynolds.

Outside, Tom Loeser’s jewelry boxes appear as sculpture, but double as storage.

Entries by Tommy Simpson and Jay Stanger.