This is the time of year that you just want to do a day-trip with the family and enjoy being outside. Such an in ideal experience includes being near water, listening to music and munching on some food.
One of the best spots for that to happen is Lyons Lake. Located just off Route 20 in nearby Nassau, it’s a lovely spot that doesn’t require a long drive. Lyons Lake is a family owned lake that has been owned and operated by the same family since 1928. In many ways, it’s a throwback to a more relaxed era.
During the day it’s a family-friendly spot that opens at noon and the beach and picnic areas stay open until 7 p.m. Or you can arrive later in the day, listen to live music and eat at the restaurant. It’s a neat place to sit on Adirondack chairs and take in the serenity. It’s also great for those who want to be more active as you can swim off a sandy beach or rent a boat and fish on the beautiful lake.
Admission is $4 a person, which gives you access to everything on the grounds. You can’t bring in a boat (or a pet) but boats are available to rent for $10. The lake does have fish — bass, pickerel, perch, shiner and, of course the obsequious sunny, have been pulled from the waters.
You can cook on grounds or bring a picnic meal. There is a restaurant and bar on grounds that offers finger foods, salads, sandwiches and burgers all at reasonable prices. They also have a wide selection of entrees, also at reasonable prices.
One of the great summer features at Lyons Lake is their weekly Sunday afternoon music series. They provide live music from 4-7 p.m. inside where you can eat and or dance. Or you can hang outside where you can hear the music from the picnic grove and just about anywhere else on the grounds. Better yet, there’s floating dock on the lake which seems to be perfect summer living.
This Sunday is an ideal time to give the music a try as the Shakin’ Bakers are playing. The quartet features nationally known Graham Tichy on guitar, Ted Hennessy on harmonica, John Ellis on bass and Pete Vumbacco on drums. They play Electric Blues, Jump Blues and Swing.
Lyons Lake is ideal for the family. However, if you’re not the family type, you can stay a while as Wednesday-Sunday the bar stays open ‘till midnight. For more information call 766-3953 or go to lyons-lake.com
The Night Air
You can also be outside and enjoy summer culture as tonight SPAC is presenting the Limon Dance Company in the amphitheater. This is one of the finest modern dance troupes in the world and tonight the frosting on the cake has them performing their 1949 masterwork “The Moor’s Pavane.”
The 20-minute work tells the story of Shakespeare’s “Othello” with the four dancers portraying the moor, Othello, Iago, Desdemona and Emilia. The 60-year old piece has achieved classic status, which on Monday won rave reviews in the New York Times for its dazzling pre-Saratoga performance in New York City.
“The Moors Pavane” is one of three pieces on the program. The others are “Into My Heart’s House” and “There Is A Time.” Performance is at 8 p.m., at 7:30 p.m. Limon’s artistic director Carla Maxwell will offer a pre-curtain talk on the work and the history of the company. Tickets are $25. 584-9330 spac.org
For Insiders
Not everything is outside during the summer. Saturday night Shakespeare & Company iin Lenox, Mass. opens the world premiere of “Mengelberg and Mahler.” It’s a one-man show about the conductor of the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Holland and his professional relationship with the Jewish composer Gustav Mahler.
Mengelberg was accused of collaborating with the Nazi’s during their occupation of the Netherlands and this play explores what lines Mengelberg, (who achieved greatness during the 50 years he led the orchestra) might have crossed in his obsession to keep the works of Mahler performed.
The play is not about defining right or wrong, but about exploring that gray area where judgment is clouded by obsession. Though a one-man show, Mahler’s music is a second character in the piece as we hear much of his music — which heightens the emotions and mood shifts in the play.
For schedule and ticket information contact Shakespeare & Company at 413- 637-3353 or shakespeare.org
‘Anything Goes’
Maybe you just want to be entertained during these summer months. What’s better than a light-hearted frisky musical? You can’t get any lighter or friskier than “Anything Goes” which tonight opens a two week run at Mac-Haydn Theatre in Chatham.
“Anything Goes” has one of those delightful plots from the 1930s where everything seemed to be written with the Marx Brothers in mind. Somehow as silly as it all is, it works and keeps a smile on your face.
However, what really keeps a smile on your face is the great score by Cole Porter. Today it’s unusual that a show has a song you can remember on the way home. “Anything Goes” is filled with pop-classics like “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “It’s Delovely,” “Friendship,” “All Through the Night,” Blow, Gabriel Blow,” and of course, the title song “Anything Goes.”
“Anything Goes,” plays at Mac-Haydn Thursdays-Sundays until June 20. 392-9292 machayndntheatre.org
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