We’re binge-watching Hannibal. I don’t care what’s on those plates. They LOOK delicious. OTOH, I’m saying to the TV, “DON’T go to Hannibal’s house for dinner!!!”
I know resurrecting old threads is frowned upon, and I didn’t want this to get lost in the pinned “Hidden Gems” thread…but I recently dropped my daughter off at Berkshire School for a sports camp and was reminded how amazing that campus is. I’m a big believer in the power of place (like Thacher, SAS, SPS, etc.) and Berkshire’s campus is up there among the best, IMO. They recently renovated one of their athletic centers (Soffer) and it is very, very nice.
If I had a third kid, I’d put Berkshire on the “to research/visit” list for sure.
Agree @SevenDad ! Our family has been spending vacations in the area for 20 years. DD knows of a couple of lax gals there. Berkshire is a Great place. We just missed you up there! We had another round of golf close by 
the school. Also, made a trip last week over to Newport and visited St George’s…has to be one of the best settings – anyplace you can watch surfers is pretty amazing.
We’ve never made the trip to “St. Gorgeous” but I hear it is stunning.
I agree Berkshire is beautiful. We visited in January and April, and the campus in wintery mist reminded the Shining. We are from the mountains (not far from the Stanley Hotel) so it was not a big draw for us. A local Berkshire family said the kids feel right at home at Berkshire.
Agree, St. George’s has one of the prettiest campuses, Portsmouth Abbey also.
MODERATOR’S NOTE:
Reviving timeless threads like Hidden Gems or Packing List is fine. It’s when people revive old threads to ask a question of the OP who is long gone that’s an issue.
Town & Country weighed in on the boarding school beauty contest in 2015: "
19 Boarding Schools That Look More Like Relais & Châteaux Properties Than High School Campuses."
“Relais & Châteaux is a global fellowship of individually owned and operated luxury hotels and restaurants.” Apparently those who read T&C know this…
Thacher School, Ojai, CA
Taft, Watertown, CT
Tabor Academy, Marion, MA
Colorado Rocky Mountain School Carbondale CO
Bolles, Jacksonville, FL
Hotchkiss, Lakeville, CT
Havergsl College, Toronto
Emma Willard, Troy, NY
Stevenson School, Pebble Beach, CA
Cranbrook, Bloomfield Hills, MI
In the same vein, I sent along the following to DC and DH and suggested these colleges were at least worth a look:
@Garandman: Relais & Châteaux is like the AAA 4-Diamonds for the 1%.
Having visited both Taft and Hotchkiss in our various BS application cycles, I would not put either of them in the same class (for beauty) as Thacher or Emma Willard. Eye of the beholder and all that…
@Applenotfar Nice list… and my kid is going to one!
Emma has been in at least 2 movies: The Emperor’s Club & Scent of A Woman---- also more trivia about the area – its as beautiful inside as inside. ;
momofuku milk bar is overhyped
@harvard2025: Not if you consider that they pretty much invented/popularized the idea of “cereal milk ice cream”.
Because this is “miscellaneous” I’d like to share my favorite quote by a total savage:
MODERATOR’S NOTE:
Deleted quote. Excessive quoting (i.e. more than a few sentences) is not allowed. Additionally, when quoting, a link to the source should be provided.
Well, we’re definitely in the territory of miscellaneous and rambling… @-)
Ok- here is a miscellaneous rambling question – have any of you experienced the following? My Student has been reading posts ( results threads mostly) on CC as we enter this year’s application season. Reality of March 10th is already sinking her hopes-- all A’s, Honors, awards, CTY, Duke Tip, & multi-sport kid …," Mom everyone is like that, so why even try because they don’t get accepted"… She knows to “cast a wide net” …, afraid of getting her hopes up…,Hoping for some positive words to share with her. Hoping our wise students & parents may have some advice… .
My advice? Keep the kids off CC. 
Seriously, though.
@Golfgr8 I don’t know whether or not I’m “wise” but I’ll give it a shot.
For starters, CC is absolutely NOT the real world. Not even close. If even half of what they write is true, these kids are the exceptions. You’re not competing with CC, you’re competing with those kids you beat out fro all those honors and awards. (And if you are thinking Harvard, Yale and the rest, then you already know the statistics. No need to belabor them.)
I firmly believe that there’s a lid for every pot-- a school where you’ll be accepted, learn and live and love the next 4 years of your life. It’s your job to find that school, and not to worry about who else is out there looking at the same school. Simply present the very best you you can-- and trust that the adcoms will be smart enough to recognize all you have to offer.
Great advice - thank you!