FUNNY MONEY
Following the gov’s finances
Two Against
A TOWN
Will a lesbian couple’s Addison lawsuit prove harassment or sour grapes?
B Y KAT H RYN F L A G G | PA G E 3 0
V ER MO NT ’S INDE PEN DENT VO IC E
MARCH 19-26, 2014 VOL.19 NO.29 SEVENDAYSVT.COM
PAGE 12
NET BENEFITS
PAGE 34
Choosing an ISP in BTV
STAGING COUPS
PAGES 40/42
Venus, Urinetown earn ovations
SWEET SUCCESS
PAGE 48
Pastry chef Andrew LeStourgeon
POSITIVE PIE PLAINFIELD NOW SERVING
B i e r h au s s a D ch Street, Burlington, Chur VT 5 7 1
VT’s Best Beers Daily food/drink Specials Every Thursday =
Half-price sandwiches. All-day.
&Trivia(7-9pm)
For info on upcoming trivia nights, concerts, events and more, check out: facebook.com/DasBierhausVT
BREAKFAST ON WEEKENDS
Make RESERVATIONS &
book PRIVATE FUNCTIONS Online at: www.DasBierhausVT.com
802.881.0600
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Authentic German dishes, prepared with love, using locally sourced ingredients.
6 9
SEVEN DAYS
03.19.14-03.26.14 SEVENDAYSvt.com
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LIVE MUSIC & DAILY SPECIALS SUNDAYS BLUEGRASS BRUNCH noon-3pm (Btown)
IMPROV COMEDY JAM 7pm (Btown) Live this week in Montp:
OLD-TIMEY MUSIC 3:30-5:30pm
WILLIAM BORG SCHMITT 6pm MONDAYS KIDZ MUSIC WITH RAPHAEL 11am (Btown)
OURSE $27 THREE-C TWO DINNER FOR ! SUN & MON
2
3/4/14 9:52 AM
M A I N
TUESDAY GREEN DRINKS!
THURSDAY
Live this week in Btown
6-8PM sponsored by CSWD
JOHN DALY TRIO 8pm
WEDNESDAYS HEADY HUMP DAY!
FRIDAY THE BRUMMY BROTHERS
$5 Heady Toppers $2 off Heady Hotdogs (Btown)
JOSH PANDA’S ACOUSTIC SOUL NIGHT 8pm (Btown) CAJUN JAM WITH JAY EKIS, KATIE TRAUTZ & FRIENDS 6pm (Montp)
8pm (Btown)
SATURDAY
WOODEN DINOSAUR AND THE WINCHESTER LOCAL! 8pm (Btown)
60 Lake St, Burlington 540-0188 • 89 Main Street, Montpelier 262-CAKE skinnypancake.com 4t-skinnypancake031914.indd 1
3/18/14 2:29 PM
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Wednesday, March 26th | 4PM
Re-Scheduled 2nd Birthday Party
Peak Films
Snow can’t stop the fun!
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2 Heady Toppers Drafts (until our supply kicks)
$
2 Chopped Pork Sandwiches
Get it while we’re young and cheap. This deal won’t sound so good on our 25th anniversary. Party starts at 4PM
AN EVENING WITH MOLLY RINGWALD
us for Peak n us forJoin Peak Experiences Experiences SUMMER/FALL 2013 SEASON
Feeling Schiddy? April 8th
SATURDAY, MARCH 29, AT 7:30 P.M.
$4 Fernet draughts everyday
Star of iconic ‘80s films, Broadway 23 South Main Street, Waterbury, Vermont • prohibitionpig.com ‰ †Ž Ž†Ž Â… – actress, and author Molly Ringwald — …Â?Â? Â?€‚˜Â Â? ™ÂÂ’ ŠŽ • SUMMER/FALL  Â?Â? Â?Â? Â?Â? € 2013 SEASONhas moved from The Breakfast Club  ‚ ƒ „„„ Â… †‡ˆ to the Jazz Club! Enjoy an evening ‰ ƒ „„„ †‡Š Â? Â? Â? Â?Â?Â?    4t-ProPig031914.indd 1 3/18/14 3:14 PM Â?Â?€‚‚Â? Â? ƒ Â? Â? Â? Â?Â?Â?   with Molly and her jazz quartet as  „Â? Â?Â? Â?  Â? ƒ  Â?Â?€‚‚Â? Â? ƒ Â? INFO@ she interprets standards from her „Â? Â?Â? Â?  Â? ƒ  “Silk-voiced 160 Bank Street album, “Except‌Sometimes,â€? her jazz chanteuseâ€? - HUFFINGTON Burlington, VT homage to the Great American POST Songbook. 802.859.0888 ‹Œ ÂŽÂŽ ‚  ˆ ‘ Â’ÂŒ Â? Â? €Â? † Untitled-2 1
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ness of The Bruery. In their honor, we’re gonna throw a fête (read: doubledown on awesome). Expect draught pours of White Chocolate, Oude Tart, Oude Tart with Cherries, Humulus Lager, Autumn Maple, and Mischief plus Bruery For tickets: SprucePeakArts.org bottles and a surprise or two. ‰ †Ž Ž†Ž … – Box offi ce: 802-760-4634
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— …Â?Â? Â?€‚˜Â Â? ™ÂÂ’ ŠŽ • ‰ †Ž Ž†Ž Â… – 122 Hourglass Drive — …Â?Â? Â?€‚˜Â Â? ™ÂÂ’ ŠŽ •  Â?Â? Â?Â? Â?Â? € Stowe, Vt ‚ ƒ „„„ Â… †‡ˆ  Â?Â? Â?Â? Â?Â? € ‚ ƒ „„„ Â… †‡ˆ ‰ ƒ „„„ †‡Š ‰ ƒ „„„ †‡Š
4/30/13 10:36 AM
4/30/13 10:36 AM PM 3/17/14 3:58
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SEVEN DAYS
THEBRUERY
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03.19.14-03.26.14
A one-woman tour-de-force, actress and clown Susanna Hamnett relates the great and tragic story of King Lear šÂ&#x; Â’ÂŒ Â? €Â? † from the personal perspective šÂ&#x; of the ’ˆŽŒ ‘– Â’ÂŒ ˜ Â? €Â? † Â’ÂŒ Â? €Â? † ‘ Ž‹ –Ž¥ ¢£ •Ž Â? €Â? † ’ˆŽŒ ‘– Â’ÂŒ ˜ Â? €Â? † king’s fool, Norris. Winner of the 2012 •Ž ž Â? €Â? † “ ݴ ˆ‘’¤Â&#x; ‘ Ž‹ –Ž¥ ¢£ •Ž Â? €Â? † “… Â&#x; ‹ ‚ ÂŽ ‚Ž‹Ž •Œ € Â? €Â? † “ ݴ ˆ‘’¤Â&#x; •Ž ž Â? €Â? † International Performing Arts for Youth ÂŽÂŽ ˆ Œ†–ŽŒ – •Ž ˜ Â? €Â? † ’–ŽŒ – –Ž ÂĽ •Œ Â? Â? €Â? † “… Â&#x; ‹ ‚ ÂŽ ‚Ž‹Ž •Œ € Â? €Â? † ÂŽÂŽ ˆ Œ†–ŽŒ – Â? Â? €Â? † Œ†–ŽŒ – •Ž ˜ Â? €Â? † (IPAY) Victor Â? Â? €Â? † Award for Outstanding –Ž Ž‹–†¥ ˆ’Â&#x;ÂŚ € Â? €Â? † ’–ŽŒ – –Ž ÂĽ •Œ Â? Â? €Â? † …‹ ˆ Â’ÂŒ †… Â? Â? €Â? † Œ†–ŽŒ – ‘Ž ÂŽ ˆ– Â’ÂŒ ÂŽ †…  Â? €Â? † –Ž Ž‹–†¥ ˆ’Â&#x;ÂŚ € Â? €Â? † “Ž‹ Ž™†Ž †… Â? €Â? † Â’ÂŒ †… Â? Â? €Â? † Wednesday March 26th, 5pm to late. Production. Presented in collaboration † “ ‘Ž ÂŽ ‚ ÂŽ Â… ˜ Â? €Â? † ‘Ž ÂŽ ˆ– Â’ÂŒ ÂŽ †…  Â? €Â? † š›– ‚ ’› €‹ ÂŽÂŽ †Ž Â’ † †Ž †… Â? €Â? † –Ž† – Â… ž Â? €Â? † † “ ‘Ž ÂŽ ‚ ÂŽ Â… ˜ Â? €Â? † Š Â… ˜ Â? €Â? † with the Flynn Center for the Arts. › €‹ ÂŽÂŽ †Ž Â’ † Come experience the awesome California good‚ Â&#x; Â&#x;†… Â? €Â? †
SEVENDAYSvt.com
Ž “Œ – ’ ’ Ž – ‰ —
3/18/14 2:23 PM
3/17/14 11:52 AM
Sustainable Living Expo 2014 Saturday, March 29 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
T M i d dleb u ry, V vt.org /acorn / : 14 tp /sle20 ht
Workshops and exhibits exploring:
SEVEN DAYS
03.19.14-03.26.14 SEVENDAYSvt.com
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Presented by
Food & Farming • Health & Well-Being • Home & Gardening • Nature & Wilderness • Renewable Energy Acorn Renewable Energy Co-op & Conservation • Transport & the Digital Economy
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3/18/14 2:25 PM
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3/17/14 2:40 PM
4
THE LAST WEEK IN REVIEW
facing facts
MARCH 12-MARCH 19, 2014 COMPILED BY JEFF GOOD & CATHY RESMER
My daughter has to walk from Lower Pine Street to South Winooski for after-school care in this weather ... She is 7. Tony Basiliere: You have no clue what it is like to drive a 40,000-pound, 40-foot-long bus full of people through downtown traffic for up to 6 solid hours with maybe 5 minutes out of the saddle for a quick run to the bathroom, hoping there is no line. I do … Ever wonder why some drivers seem a little surly? CCTA management has a policy of contention and at some point the constant negativity just beats you down and demoralizes you. It needs to change and now is the time. These drivers need the support of the community.
That’s the percentage of Vermonters who were unemployed in January, the Vermont Department of Labor announced this week. The state’s unemployment rate is at its lowest point since 2007; nationally it’s 6.6 percent.
OUT OF JOINT
No Fare!
A
fter weeks of th reatening to wa lk off the job, Ch County Transit ittenden Authority driv ers did — first morning. The thing Monday regional bus st from work, forc rike stranded ed students to commuters m walk to school iles many who norm in the cold and ally account fo left r the 10,000 bu each day wond s rides CCTA pr ering which sid ovides e they’re on. So union and its de me are suppor mands for bett ting the er working cond CCTA; others fa itions at the no ulted the driver nprofit s; and many fo in the middle. und themselv Here’s a sampl es frozen ing of commen the Seven Days ts that have sh Facebook page own up on — since the bu Mark Davis an sses stopped ru d Alicia Freese have been cove nning. ring the strike.
Cop groups advised Shumlin to slow down the pot train. Gov’s reply: “There is much Vermont can learn from Colorado and Washington.” Translation: Chill, dudes.
NOPE TO DOPERS
TOPFIVE
MOST POPULAR ITEMS ON SEVENDAYSVT.COM 1. “WTF: How can Barre and Montpelier be equidistant from mile marker 47 on Interstate 89? (and other highway mysteries)” by Corin Hirsch. The Vermont Agency of Transportation answers some of our burning questions about I-89. 2. “NECI Confidential: Vermont’s struggling culinary school plans its next course” by Kathryn Flagg. Declining enrollment, aging leadership and precarious finances are forcing changes at the New England Culinary Institute.
ome me Buying BuyingSeminar Seminar--March March26th 26thatat Kenneth Tobin:: I do not support the bus drivers. If they were farmers they would work twice as long, definitely harder and earn far less for their efforts. And they cannot go on strike against their cows. Many other people work harder, and longer hours with no nice rest breaks in the middle of the day. I cannot feel sorry for these whining little people. They have it good and do not realize it. They are just dumping on the hardworking people of Chittenden County.
South Burlington lawyer tells Vermont Supreme Court its methadone clinic creates “safety concerns.” Justice Skoglund asks: How so?
3. “Generator On: Burlington’s first maker space will open this month” by Megan James. In a few weeks, Burlingtonians can sign up to use a laser cutter and a 3-D printer at a new Memorial Auditorium maker space.
ve e You YouEver EverTried TriedTo ToBuy BuyAAHome HomeBut ButWere WereTold ToldNo? No? On Monday the bus drivers picketed Church Street; the strike continued on Tuesday.
HAVE HAVEYOU YOUBEEN BEENTOLD... TOLD... COOKED BOOKKEEPER HomeYOU Buying -A AMarch 26th at YOU NEED NEEDTOSeminar TOSAVE SAVEFOR FOR DOWN DOWNPAYMENT... PAYMENT... YOU YOU NEED NEED TOTOBEBE ON ON YOUR YOUR JOBLONGER... LONGER... Have You Ever Tried To Buy AJOB Home But Were Told No? YOUR YOURCREDIT CREDIT ISISNOT NOTHIGH HIGHENOUGH... ENOUGH... HAVE YOU BEEN TOLD... A bookkeeper pled guilty this week to bilking $200,000 from a Woodstock motel. Will Vermonters ever learn to be less trusting?
Juan M. Garcia Urbina: It is freezing outside. I must ask for a ride to get to work, and I guess to get back. I also have a job interview for the summer at 2:30 p.m. I am wondering how I am going to make it. However, I support the bus drivers. They need more solid and better contracts. They are very kind and helpful.
4. Bite Club: “Menu and Chef Details for Farmhouse Group’s Newest Endeavors” by Alice Levitt. The owners of Farmhouse Tap & Grill, El Cortijo Taqueria Y Cantina and Guild Tavern share the scoop on Pascolo Ristorante, an Italian eatery opening in May. 5. Side Dishes: “Infinity Brewing Joins the Burlington Craft-Beer Scene” by Corin Hirsch. A Belgian Saison Golden Ale and a hoppy IPA named after Malletts Bay are on tap at the tasting room of a new South Burlington brewery.
YOUR CREDIT IS NOT HIGH ENOUGH... SLOW FLOW
Jenny Poirier: I called in [absent] today because I cannot afford a cab and don’t have a coworker that lives near me. I’m not sure I’m still going to have a job. Vermont is an at-will state so I could be fired for something that is out of my control.
Call CalltotoSign Signupup802.846.0029! 802.846.0029!
Cold temps have slowed Vermont’s sugaring season to a molasses’ pace. Here’s hoping the weather gets sweeter soon!
@vermontfolklife
Due to the illogical wrath of Come to our seminar and learn how to overcome these winter storm Vulcan the Vermont Center will be closed objections and let us help you buy a home in 2014Folklife today. Stay warm, live long, and prosper.
March March 26th 26th atat 5:30 5:30 PM PM atat ARTSRIOT ARTSRIOT - 400 - 400 Pine Pine Street Street Burlington Burlington
Call to Sign up 802.846.0029!
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @SEVEN_DAYS OUR TWEEPLE: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/TWITTER
03.19.14-03.26.14
March 26th at 5:30 PM at ARTSRIOT - 400 Pine Street Burlington
Home Buying Seminar - March 26th at Have You Ever Tried To Buy A Home But Were Told No?
Sponsored Sponsored by by Barb Barb McHenry McHenry of Primelending of Primelending & McHenry Sponsored by&Barb Barb McHenry Call 846-0029 to sign up or email bmchenry@primelending.com MORTGAGE MORTGAGE PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL The The Carol Carol Audette Audette Team Team of Primelending & MarchPROFESSIONAL 26th at 5:30 PM at ARTSRIOT - 400 Pine Street Burlington NMLS NMLS #142991 #142991MORTGAGE Barb McHenry Theand Carol Audette Team of Hickok of Hickok and Boardman Boardman Sponsored by The Law Office of Fred Peet.
Come to our seminar and learn how to overcome these objections and let us help you buy a home in 2014
of Hickok and Boardman
Sponsored by Barb McHenry of Primelending & The Carol Audette Team of Hickok & Boardman Realty
credit to credit approval. approval. Rates Rates and and feesfees subject subject to change. to change. Mortgage Mortgage financing financing provided provided by PrimeLending, by PrimeLending, a a All loans subject to credit approval. Rates and fees subject to change. Mortgage financing provided by PrimeLending, a y.pany. Equal Equal Housing Housing Lender. Lender. © 2013 © 2013 PrimeLending, PrimeLending, PlainsCapital a PlainsCapital Company. PrimeLending, PrimeLending, a PlainsCapital a PlainsCapital PlainsCapital Company. Equal Housing Lender. ©a 2013 PrimeLending, a Company. PlainsCapital Company. PrimeLending, a PlainsCapital 49) 13649) is a iswholly aCompany wholly owned owned subsidiary subsidiary a ofstate-chartered aowned state-chartered and and is licensed is licensed by: Dept. VT Dept. ofby:Banking, of Dept. Banking, (NMLS: 13649) is aofwholly subsidiarybank of abank state-chartered bankby: andVT is licensed VT of Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care lic no. lic no.V051413. 0964MB. V051413. and ies and Health Health CareCare AdministrationAdministrationlender lender licAdministrationno. lic 6127 no. 6127 andlender and broker broker lic6127 no. lic and 0964MB. no.broker 0964MB. V051413. 4h-barbmchenry031214.indd 1
The TheCarol Carol
The Carol The Carol Audette Team Audette Team ofAudette ColdwellTeam BankerTeam Audette Hickok & Boardman WEEK IN REVIEW 5
MORTGAGE PROFESSIONAL NMLS #142991 NMLS #142991
Insurance sponsored by Hickok & Boardman insurance.
SEVEN DAYS
HAVE YOU BEEN TOLD... YOU NEED TO SAVE FOR A DOWN PAYMENT... YOU NEED TO BE ON YOUR JOB LONGER... YOUR CREDIT IS NOT HIGH ENOUGH...
Barb BarbMcHenry McHenry
SEVENDAYSVT.COM
Come Cometotoour ourseminar seminar and learn learn how how totoovercome overcomethese these YOU NEEDand TO SAVE FOR A DOWN PAYMENT... tweet of YOUlet NEED TO BE ON YOUR JOB LONGER... objections objectionsand and letusus help help you you buy buy a ahome homeinin2014 2014 the week:
of Coldwell of Banker Coldwell Banker Banker of Coldwell Realty Hickok & Boardman Hickok Hickok & Boardman & Boardman 3/10/14 11:25 AM
SPRING FEVERED. E D I T O R I A L / A D M I N I S T R AT I O N -/
Pamela Polston & Paula Routly
/ Paula Routly / Pamela Polston
Don Eggert, Cathy Resmer, Colby Roberts / Jeff Good Margot Harrison Xian Chiang-Waren, Mark Davis, Ethan de Seife, Kathryn Flagg, Alicia Freese, Paul Heintz, Ken Picard Dan Bolles Corin Hirsch, Alice Levitt Courtney Copp Eva Sollberger Ashley DeLucco Cheryl Brownell Steve Hadeka Matt Weiner Meredith Coeyman, Marisa Keller Jenelle Roberge Rufus
All the lines you love... Bobbi Brown Trish McEvoy Laura Mercier SkinCeuticals Kiehl’s Since 1851 bareMinerals by Bare Escentuals ...and many more!!
DESIGN/PRODUCTION Don Eggert John James Brooke Bousquet, Britt Boyd,
Bobby Hackney Jr., Aaron Shrewsbury, Rev. Diane Sullivan
SALES/MARKETING Colby Roberts Michael Bradshaw
Corner of Main & Battery Streets, Burlington, VT • 802-861-7500 www.mirrormirrorvt.com
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Julia Atherton, Robyn Birgisson, Michelle Brown, Logan Pintka & Corey Grenier & Sarah Cushman & Ashley Cleare & Natalie Corbin
3/3/14 11:58 AM
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Alex Brown, Justin Crowther, Erik Esckilsen, John Flanagan, Sean Hood, Kevin J. Kelley, Rick Kisonak, Judith Levine, Amy Lilly, Gary Miller, Jernigan Pontiac, Robert Resnik, Sarah Tuff, Lindsay J. Westley PHOTOGRAPHERS Caleb Kenna, Tom McNeill, Oliver Parini, Sarah Priestap, Matthew Thorsen, Jeb Wallace-Brodeur
SEVEN DAYS
03.19.14-03.26.14
SEVENDAYSVT.COM
I L L U S T R AT O R S Matt Mignanelli, Matt Morris, Marc Nadel, Tim Newcomb, Susan Norton, Kim Scafuro, Michael Tonn, Steve Weigl
SpringSale
C I R C U L AT I O N : 3 6 , 0 0 0 Seven Days is published by Da Capo Publishing Inc. every Wednesday. It is distributed free of charge in Greater Burlington, Middlebury, Montpelier, Stowe, the Mad River Valley, Rutland, St. Albans, St. Johnsbury, White River Junction and Plattsburgh. Seven Days is printed at Upper Valley Press in North Haverhill, N.H
First Day of
ORVIS: 20% OFF
Take an additional 20% off entire purchase, includes new arrivals and clearance items. 3/20-3/23 only.
PENDLETON: 25% OFF
All spring apparel for Men & Women. 5 days only. 3/19-3/23 only.
Brooks Brothers 2 for $99*
Spring Elements - All Mens & Womens Shirts $59.50 - $98.50 will be 2/$99* 3/18-3/23 only. Also many other sales center wide.
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I am a faithful reader of the Fair Game column, but I was appalled at Paul Heintz’s description of Lenore Broughton as “an infamous sportswoman” [February 26]. According to Webster, “infamous” means “having a reputation of the worst kind: notorious, as being vicious, contemptible or criminal in character.” Lenore Broughton, whom I know well, is hardly a “sportswoman,” but she is a kind, gentle, decent and concerned citizen. There is nothing “infamous” about her. Paul owes her an apology, and whoever edits Paul’s columns needs to gain additional experience with the English language. John McClaughry
KIRBY
DEADLY LOGIC
[Re Last 7: “Big Votes, Small City,” March 5]: I find it disconcerting and worrisome that a Vermont resident mentions drunken college kids knocking on the door at 2 a.m. as a justification for gun ownership. It would be such a tragedy if that played out — an unnecessary, worstcase scenario involving a firearm. People in Vermont and elsewhere need to understand the use of harmful
TIM NEWCOMB
retaliation in any situation: If and only if your life or someone else’s is seriously threatened with bodily harm, on your property, in your home or in public, can the use of harmful or deadly force be justified. Bob Prall
WATERBURY
COOKING FOR GENERATIONS
[Re “Vintage Vermont Victuals,” February 19]: Many years ago, I inherited my great-grandmother’s cookbooks, and one of them was the original Out of Vermont Kitchens cookbook. I remember my greatgrandmother very well, and I love the notion that I am holding her cookbook with its aged, tattered pages, looking through the same recipes she did so many years ago. I was raised on a fifth-generation dairy farm. My dad often tells stories from his childhood days living on the farm where his grandparents also lived in the same house with his family — not an unusual thing in those days! But he recalls that they always had dessert for each lunch and supper meal: One day would be cake and the next day would be pie. His grandmother and his mother took
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turns cooking either the meal or the dessert each day for the family of eight. I have several handwritten recipes from both of these family matriarchs — some on the corner of a brown paper bag, the back of an envelope or the back of a letter — all of which are stained from being made several times, all precious pieces of my family’s history. Since my mother helped my father milk the cows, I became the baker in the house at age 9 and, even today, I continue to bake and pass out all “the goods” to my three daughters and their families. Even when my grandchildren visit, one of their favorite things to do is help me bake — just passing on the tradition! I have printed off the Seven Days article and placed it in the original cookbook for one of my daughters to find when I hand down this precious cookbook to them.
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In last week’s food story, “Seasoned Traveler: DownStreet Eats,” restaurant owner Elena Gustavson claimed to have convinced Sterling College to stop using the services of Sodexo. The college never had a contract with that food-service company. We also gave Gustavson credit for helping to launch Sterling’s sustainable agriculture degree. That program predated her time at Sterling.
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[Re “A Gentler Exit,” March 5]: Whenever I read the honest and emotional reflections of someone who has to slaughter their beloved farm animals for meat — the kind of reflections that Kathryn Flagg shared recently — I can’t help but think back to when humans were hunter-gatherers. We never had a relationship with the animals we killed and ate back then; the practice of spendLinny curtis ing our days with animals and then seeing them slaughtered is a relatively JefferSOnVille recent phenomenon, one that grew up with farming. So of course slaughter day FrEEDom to SLAughtEr is hard for us — we who evolved over I enjoyed Kathryn Flagg’s article tens of thousands of years with more about her experience with distance from the animals we eSy Of kaThry urT nf cO la Green Pasture Meats’ ate. Does the sadness we feel gg mobile slaughter unit [“A mean it’s wrong to take the lives of animals for Gentler Exit,” March 5]. However, Vermonters meat? Some would say yes, but I don’t think have humanely and safely slaughtered aniso. It just means we’re mals on-farm for genhuman. And it’s our erations without the humanity that is leading us to seek kinder, benefit of fuel-guzzling, $225,000 mobile facilities more humane ways of that must sit idle waiting for raising and processing farm lost federal inspectors. While I animals. We should thank our wish Mark Smith nothing but the best sadness for what it inspires us to do, with his ambitious endeavor, let us not and worry only when the sadness is no forget that the very assumption of the longer there. necessity for such infrastructure is emcaroline Abels blematic of our severely eroded rights MOnTPelier with regard to how we feed ourselves. According to Flagg’s article, many Abels is founder and editor of the Agency of Agriculture officials acknowlwebsite Humaneitarian.org. edge the existence of a so-called “black market” in farm-slaughtered meat. To
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contents
LOOKING FORWARD
MARCH 19-26, 2014 VOL.19 NO.29 74
18
42
48
Our Winter Sale
Unholy Plan? Proposal to Convert Church Property to Apartments Stuns South End Parish
FEATURES 30
16
School Daze: Burlington Education Leaders Mull Another Budget Vote BY KEVIN J. KELLEY
18
Two Years After a Taser Death, a Reform Bill Comes Under Fire
34
36
38
The Green Mountain Film Festival Returns With New Vigor and New Films
BY ETHAN DE SEIFE
The Burlington Symphony Orchestra Plays a Classic and ‘Cataclysmic’ Concert BY AMY LILLY
24
Hick in the ’Hood Takes Audiences From Vermont to West Oakland BY XIAN CHIANG-WAREN
In Vermont Performances, New England Singers Call Up Ancient Sardinian Singing BY ETHAN DE SEIFE
Vermont Gothic
Books: The Winter People, Jennifer McMahon; The Lord Came at Twilight, Daniel Mills
Beyond the Gallery
Art: A 1988 law brings art to state buildings — including Berlin’s new psychiatric hospital BY AMY LILLY
40
Whiplash
Theater: Venus in Fur, Vermont Stage Co.
Redemption Songs
Music: Glen David Andrews sets his sights beyond New Orleans BY DAN BOLLES
COLUMNS + REVIEWS 12 26 29 45 67 71 74 80 89
Because winter isn’t
Fair Game POLITICS Drawn & Paneled ART Hackie CULTURE Side Dishes FOOD Soundbites MUSIC Album Reviews Art Review Movie Reviews Ask Athena SEX
letting up just yet...
Stop in to check out our
selection of great winter styles now marked down
SECTIONS 11 21 50 62
The Magnificent 7 Life Lines Calendar Classes
66 74 80
Music Art Movies
up to 70% off original retail price!
BY ALEX BROWN
42
Comic Relief
Theater: Urinetown: The Musical, UVM Department of Theatre BY ALEX BROWN
44
App Surfing in the UV
Food: White River Junction’s dining options gain critical mass BY CORIN HIRSCH
48
Confection Perfection
Food: Little Sweets chef Andrew LeStourgeon has two winning equations for pastries BY ALICE LEVITT
VIDEO SERIES
Continues...
FUN STUFF
FUNNY MONEY
Following the gov’s finances PAGE 12
27 83 84 84 84 84 85 85 86 86 86 86 87 88
CLASSIFIEDS vehicles, housing services homeworks buy this stuff
C-2 C-2 C-3 C-3
Two Against
A TOWN
Will a lesbian couple’s Addison lawsuit prove harassment or sour grapes?
B Y K ATHRY N FL AG G | PAG E 3 0
NET BENEFITS
PAGE 34
Choosing an ISP in BTV
STAGING COUPS
PAGES 40/42
Venus, Urinetown earn ovations
SWEET SUCCESS
PAGE 48
Pastry chef Andrew LeStourgeon
COVER IMAGE TIM NEWCOMB COVER DESIGN BROOKE BOUSQUET
music for sale by owner legals calcoku/sudoku crossword puzzle answers support groups jobs
C-3 C-4 C-4 C-4 C-5 C-7 C-7 C-8
styles & sizes!
SEVEN DAYS
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Come in soon for the
03.19.14-03.26.14
straight dope movies you missed edie everette dakota mcfadzean lulu eightball jen sorensen news quirks bliss, ted rall red meat rhymes with orange this modern world elf cat free will astrology personals
SEVENDAYSVT.COM
25
Technology: A new Queen City resident weighs her internet options
BY MARGOT HARRISON
ARTS NEWS
23
Making Connections
BY ALICIA FREESE
BY MARK DAVIS
22
Community: Will a lesbian couple’s Addison lawsuit prove harrasment or sour grapes? BY KATHRYN FLAGG
BY ALICIA FREESE
66
Two Against a Town
MARCH 19-26, 2014 VOL.19 NO.29 SEVENDAYSVT.COM
14
VE RM ON T’ S I ND E PE ND E NT VO IC E
NEWS
38 church street 802.862.5126 www.dearlucy.com
Stuck in Vermont: Ready for this weekend’s Maple Open House Weekend at Shelburne Farms? Eva Sollberger samples the sweetness in this classic Stuck in Vermont from 2007.
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CONTENTS 9
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LOOKING FORWARD
TUESDAY 25
Fast Break SATURDAY 22 & SUNDAY 23
TAPPED IN
From sap to syrup to sugar on snow, the Maple Open House Weekend celebrates Vermont’s liquid gold at sugaring operations throughout the state. Through modern equipment or with horse-drawn wagons and wood-fired evaporators, folks of all ages experience — and taste — these time-tested traditions firsthand. SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 55
When the Harlem Globetrotters take the court, the iconic basketball team elevates the sport to a theatrical spectacle. Bringing comedy, charisma and athleticism to “Fans Rule,” affable team members such as Buckets, Flight Time and Too Tall dribble and shoot their way into spectators’ hearts. SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 58
SUNDAY 23
Page Turner Whether it’s a Hemingway first edition, old copies of Dr. Seuss or a postcard of Burlington from years past, the Vermont Antiquarian Book & Ephemera Fair has something for everyone. Collectors, history buffs, scholars and bibliophiles get a kick out of rare and out-of-print titles and other links to the literary past. SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 57
SUNDAY 23
Be Kind, Rewind
the
MUST SEE, MUST DO THIS WEEK COMPI L E D BY COU RTNEY COP P
SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 57
FRIDAY 21
Going the Distance
SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 53
SATURDAY 22
SEE INTERVIEW ON PAGE 66
Pale Scale With a blanket of fresh snow covering the ground, winter shows no signs of leaving anytime soon. While these conditions cause some Vermonters to curse Mother Nature, the artists in “White Wash” take inspiration from this subtle seasonal palette. On view at the S.P.A.C.E. Gallery, works in various media explore the potential of muted hues. SEE REVIEW ON PAGE 74
MAGNIFICENT SEVEN 11
COURTESY OF GLEN DAVID ANDRES
When he was 12 years old, Glen David Andrews picked up the trombone for the first time. In the decades since, the charismatic New Orleans-based performer has cemented his place as a top talent in the brass-band scene. He brings the best of the Big Easy to the Rusty Nail with tunes from the forthcoming Redemption.
ONGOING
SEVEN DAYS
Brass Attack
03.19.14-03.26.14
John Lent is an ambitious guy. After completing marathons in all 50 states and the 13 Canadian provinces, he set his sights on running 26.2 miles in each of the seven continents. Recalling his recent travels to Antarctica and South America, the Waltham resident shares inspirational stories of the athletes he met along the way.
SEVENDAYSVT.COM
MAGNIFICENT
Nostalgic for the era of VHS tapes? Nick Prueher and Joe Pickett sure are. For more than 20 years, the critically acclaimed curators of the Found Footage Festival have collected videotapes from thrift stores, garage sales and the occasional dumpster. Gems from Volume 7 bring these cinematic relics to the big screen.
B-TROPICAL
FAIR GAME
SATURDAY, MARCH 29
Traveling Salesman
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SEVENDAYSVT.COM
sked last month about his campaign for a third term, Gov. PETER SHUMLIN responded the way he usually does: with an air of practiced nonchalance. “Believe it or not, I don’t wake up in the morning thinking about a reelection campaign,” he said at a Montpelier press conference. “I’m not focused on fundraisA NIGHT OF DANCING, ing for my campaign.” DRINKS & SUPPORTING Well, someone on Team Shumlin sure is. On Monday, the gov announced he’d raised THE VERMONT HAITI PROJECT nearly $329,000 in the past eight months, WWW.VERMONTHAITIPROJECT.ORG pushing his campaign war chest a smidge over the million-dollar mark. Just as important for Shumlin: The 12v-vermonthaitiproject031914.indd 1 3/18/14 2:34 PMonly potential challenger to file a mandatory fundraising and spending report by Monday’s deadline was former Republican state auditor and senator RANDY BROCK, who Shumlin handily defeated in 2012. And Brock’s new report only included expenses Gardener’s Supply - Burlington related to his last campaign. Despite his claims to the contrary, the March 22 • 9:30–11:00am governor quite clearly is focused on funSoil 101 draising, his filing shows — and that has Mike Ather a lot to do with his dearth of opponents. Healthy and vibrant plants start with On the very morning Shumlin uttered his healthy soil. This one’s a must for all “I don’t wake up in the morning” remark, his campaign sent an email blast to its list gardeners, from beginner to more of supporters asking for “$10, $25 or $50” experienced grower. contributions. A mere six days before that, Shumlin March 29 • 9:30–11:00am had traveled to D.C. for a spate of fundraisBackyard Foraging ers benefiting the Democratic Governors Association, including one featuring Ellen Zacho President BARACK OBAMA. While in town, When you think about hostas and Shummy picked up checks addressed to day lilies, you probably focus on their his own campaign account, totaling at least appealing foliage and vibrant blooms, $16,000, according to Monday’s filing. but these perennials are delicious as Two days before, he took an unanwell as lovely. A surprising number nounced trip to Boston, where he wined of our favorite garden plants can feed and dined Bay State donors at Stella, an both body and soul. Learn how to upscale Italian joint in the South End. recognize, harvest and prepare tasty Shumlin’s campaign raked in at least treats from plants you already have $13,000 that day. And Stella didn’t do too around your home. bad, either. The tab came to $742.26. Indeed, the takeaway from Shumlin’s Register at: latest fundraising report is that the majorwww.GardenerSupplyStore.com ity of his campaign cash comes from bigmoney donors who live outside Vermont. Seminars are $10. Many of them contributed the maximum Pre-registration is required. allowed by law, which is $2,000 this cycle, while still others circumvented those limits by giving through their companies and family members. More interesting than how much 128 Intervale Road, Burlington Shummy raised, however, is how little he 472 Marshall Ave. Williston spent on fundraising during those same (802)660-3505 eight months: just $19,972. www.GardenersSupplyStore.com By leveraging his role as chairman of the DGA, the gov managed to hold fundraisers from D.C. to Las Vegas to San Francisco Preseason Nursery Sale: without spending a dime of his own camPurchase a plant card paign cash. Pretty much his only campaign expenses during that time were cell phone and SAVE 30% bills, online processing fees and $8,000 in
payments to fundraiser ERIKA WOLFFING. The rest — airfare, hotel rooms, etc. — came courtesy of the DGA, which raises most of its money through five- and sixfigure donations from big corporate and union donors. For instance, on November 19 Shumlin’s official appearance schedule listed him as, “In New York City for DGA.” When Seven Days inquired about his activities at the time, DGA spokesman DANNY KANNER said that Shumlin “will be in New York for a
SHUMLIN MANAGED TO HOLD FUNDRAISERS FROM D.C. TO LAS VEGAS TO SAN FRANCISCO
WITHOUT SPENDING A DIME OF HIS OWN CAMPAIGN CASH.
finance luncheon” and that the DGA would cover his travel expenses. “It’s a meeting with prospective donors,” Kanner elaborated. That very day, according to Shumlin’s most recent filing, the governor managed to raise $26,000 for his own campaign. The day before, he took in another $4,500 from New Yorkers. Among the donors? Highpowered lobbyist HEATHER PODESTA, real estate scion HOWARD MILSTEIN and Universal Remote Control founder CHANG PARK, who’s contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to organizations devoted to, um, getting money out of politics. Oh, and let’s not forget JOHN ZUCCOTTI, the real estate tycoon whose eponymous Lower Manhattan park played host to the Occupy Wall Street crowd more than two years ago. Zuccotti and his wife, Susan, each donated $2,000 to the Shumlin campaign that day — as did four companies affiliated with Zuccotti’s Brookfield Financial Properties. Three other Zuccottis — John Andrew, Margaret and Milena — each contributed a thousand apiece to Shumlin in the two months that followed. So did all those donors just happen to slip the gov a check at a “finance luncheon” benefiting the DGA? Or was it actually a Shumlin for Governor fundraiser, paid for by the DGA? If the latter, according to Vermont law, it would have to be reported as an in-kind contribution to the Shumlin campaign. It was not. Perhaps tellingly, none of those who contributed to Shumlin’s campaign that day contributed to the DGA, according to
that organization’s 2013 IRS filing. The Shumlin campaign did not respond to requests for comment. Assistant Attorney General EVE JACOBS-CARNAHAN declined to weigh in on the situation. Either way, Shumlin’s political apparatus and the DGA appear inextricably linked. The governor’s former chief of staff, BILL LOFY, serves as a senior advisor to the DGA and continues to advise him. And Wolffing, Shumlin’s longtime fundraiser, left her job as deputy labor commissioner in December to become a finance consultant for both the DGA and the Shumlin campaign. That raises the question of whether Wolffing raises money on Shumlin’s behalf through the DGA, which can accept unlimited contributions, with the understanding that such money would be invested in Shumlin’s campaign if the going gets tough this fall. The DGA spent more than a million dollars backing the gov’s first run for office in 2010. There’s no shortage of donors who play in both sandboxes. Billionaire hedge fund manager TOM STEYER, for instance, contributed $250,000 to the DGA at the end of last year. Steyer, a staunch environmentalist, has pledged to spend more than $100 million on Democratic campaigns this season, prompting some pundits to refer to him as a liberal version of the Koch brothers. Steyer has also steered thousands to Shumlin’s reelection campaign. According to the governor’s latest filing, Steyer and his family spent nearly $5,100 catering a San Francisco fundraiser for Shummy on September 30 — the day he was scheduled to be heading back to Vermont from a trip to China and Vietnam. The gov’s campaign collected more than $20,000 from Californians in the days leading up to the Steyer fundraiser. While Shumlin often rails against U.S. Supreme Court rulings that weakened the nation’s campaign finance laws, he seems to see nothing wrong with flagrantly flouting Vermont’s own limits. Like Zuccotti, several other Shumlin donors have exceeded Vermont’s current limit of $2,000 per donor, per election cycle. On the day Shumlin traveled to D.C. last month, Massachusetts auto dealer ERNIE BOCH, JR., gave the governor $2,000 from his own checkbook — and two more contributions of the same amount from a trust and an LLC. Last July, Boch’s father, Ernie Sr., gave another $2,000, as did Subaru of New England, which is owned by the family. Also in D.C., billionaire banker LEONARD ABESS and his wife, Jayne, gave Shumlin’s campaign at least $8,000 through various entities they control. Abess made his fortune as the owner of First National Bank of Florida and appears to own property in Vermont.
Got A tIP for PAul? paul@sevendaysvt.com
Another multi-donor is Ariel Quiros, who co-owns Jay Peak Resort and Burke Mountain, and is engaged in the $600 million Northeast Kingdom Economic Development Initiative. Last Wednesday, the Florida-based businessman gave Shumlin $2,000 from his own pocket and another $8,000 from four Miami companies he controls. Quiros’ business partner, Bill stenger, donated $2,000 last November. Last year, Stenger and Quiros paid to fly Shumlin to Miami and Asia to drum up foreign investors for their development projects through the EB-5 investor visa program. In fact, Shumlin was returning from such a trip when Steyer held his San Francisco fundraiser last September. Stenger’s most recent campaign contribution came last November, when he was invited to a downtown Burlington fundraiser held by commercial real estate developer BoBBy Miller. That event, which included many of the state’s top business leaders, brought in at least $36,000, according to Shumlin’s latest filing. That’s not including the $8,000 the extended Miller clan donated on a single day last month, nor the $1,000 Bobby Miller’s wife, Holly, spent catering the November event. What was Shumlin’s response when Seven Days caught wind of the Miller fundraiser last December? You guessed it: “As you can imagine, I’m focused on governing the state of Vermont, not raising funds.” Asked at the time who else was holding fundraisers on his behalf, Shumlin at first demurred, saying that it would be clear when he filed his next fundraising report. Pressed, Shumlin finally agreed, saying he would “be happy to tell you exactly where I had fundraisers” when the next reporting deadline arrived. So did he? No. Asked last week whether the governor would honor his commitment, Wolffing said that the legally required campaign finance filing “is all I or the campaign will have for you on this.” She and other Shumlin staffers ignored repeated requests for an explanation, nor would they put the governor on the phone with Seven Days. Perhaps he was busy governing. Oh, wait. He’s on vacation in Dominica.
You may remember DAGA from August 2012, when a super PAC it financed spent $200,000 on an ad campaign supporting Sorrell over fellow Democrat t.J. DonovAn, the Chittenden County state’s attorney. Nearly all of Sorrell’s contributions this time around came from DAGA’s membership, which includes national attorneys, lobbyists and former attorneys general. Sorrell says he “pass[ed] around envelopes” soliciting contributions at DAGA’s December meeting in D.C. and held a fundraiser at its January meeting in Orlando. DAGA pays for Sorrell’s airfare and lodging when he attends its events. So why exactly are DAGA’s members so keen on talking to Vermont’s attorney general? “By and large, they represent clients or organizations now in interactions with AGs,” he explains. “They get to talk with AGs in social settings or appear on panels on issues. And frequently a matter will come up and they will ask for a meeting to discuss.” For example, Sorrell explains, former Mississippi attorney general Mike Moore and former Washington State attorney general roB MckennA joined the Vermonter at the Orlando fundraiser. Moore donated $1,000 to Sorrell’s campaign that day, while McKenna’s firm donated $500 a week later. Then the two asked for a meeting in Vermont to discuss their opposition to e-cigarettes, which Sorrell granted. “I’m sure someone was paying them to be there and have the meeting,” Sorrell says. “But these are people who I’ve served with and are friends of mine. And I’m not for sale for $500.” While it may look like it, Sorrell maintains, “It’s not a pay-to-play situation. If there was some other AG who didn’t contribute to my campaign and asked for a meeting on an issue, I typically take those meetings.” OK, but is it appropriate to accept campaign contributions from those who may be seeking support from the Vermont Attorney General’s Office? “I’ve got a very clear conscience,” Sorrell says. “They move in AG circles. They interact with AGs on behalf of clients.” “I don’t think there’s an AG in the country who’s tried to limit the influence of big money in politics more than I, including arguing all the way to the Supreme Court,” he adds, referring to his failed attempt in 2006 to defend Vermont’s strict campaign finance limits. “I wish there was less money than more in our political campaigns.” m
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localmatters
Unholy Plan? Proposal to Convert Church Property to Apartments Stuns South End Parish B y A l ic i a F reese
SEVENDAYSvt.com 03.19.14-03.26.14 SEVEN DAYS 14 LOCAL MATTERS
Courtesy of Alicia Freese
B
y now, most people know it’s tacky to break up via text message. This month a Catholic parish learned a similar lesson: If you’re considering selling church property to a developer, tell your parishioners before they find out on social media. For the last 55 years, Marie Boisvert, 73, has been a parishioner at the St. Anthony Church on Flynn Avenue. Her deceased husband was baptized there, as were the couple’s two children. She lives two blocks away and, over the years, has helped organize minstrel shows, bazaars and covered-dish suppers to raise money for the parish. So it was with some indignation that Boisvert read a Facebook post in late February, in which a neighbor described a plan to convert much of the church property into a four-story “family housing project.” She calls the church complex a “part of our parish history, our neighborhood history, our family history. It’s an extension of my home.” The news, Boisvert added, “should not have come as a surprise from city hall and social media.” St. Anthony’s sits on a two-acre lot off Pine Street. The church was built in 1902 with bricks salvaged from a Catholic church on Archibald Street. Many of its earliest parishioners were French Canadian workers at the Queen City Cotton mills in Burlington’s Lakeside neighborhood. The building boasts a 158-year-old bell and four stained glass windows that were also taken from the older church. Its elegant windows and vaulted ceilings make walking inside “like going back in time,” said Charles Catlett, an occasional churchgoer. Next to it are two buildings: the rectory and the parish hall. According to city records, the total property value is assessed at $2.3 million. Now, the city’s development review board is considering a proposal to raze the rectory and the parish hall — both of which are on the Vermont State Register of Historic Places — to construct an apartment complex with 52 units and 72 parking spaces. The proposal was filed with the DRB on February 6, cosigned by Pizzagalli Properties and the Rev. Richard O’Donnell, better known as
Development
The proposed apartment complex shown next to St. Anthony Church
“Father Rich.” O’Donnell is the pastor But that doesn’t compensate for more of a merged parish of St. Anthony’s and than a decade’s worth of declines, he Christ the King churches. added. A round of notice letters the DRB Renovating St. Anthony’s is still sent to immediate neighbors had a swift an option, according to O’Donnell, and seismic impact in the South End, but it comes with a price. “Whatever reverberating across kitchen tables and direction we go, financially, there are online. By now many residents have seen some very, very big concerns. Not only the architectural mock-ups, which show structural concerns in the building, but the church dwarfed by an L-shaped also the fact there’s just the day-to-day building and a sprawling parking lot. maintenance that is costing the parish a O’Donnell said he regrets the way his considerable amount of money we don’t parishioners heard the necessarily have.” news — “I do feel bad O’Donnell said he I did not communicate doesn’t know yet what that to the parish in a the renovation costs timely manner” — but for all three buildings he didn’t think it made would be, but a sense to share a plan preliminary estimate that might not pan out. showed the church M aryle n Gr i gas O’Donnell emphasized alone needs roughly that selling the church $1 million in upgrades. to Pizzagalli is by no means a deal set in He said he’s been exploring both options stone. — to renovate or sell — since late last But it’s no pie-in-the-sky plan, either. fall. Once the plans are finalized, three The Roman Catholic Diocese isn’t committees, made up of parishioners, exactly drowning in cash these days and will review them and present them to has had to contend with other challenges, the parish as a whole. After collecting including a shortage of priests and a their feedback, a proposal will go before shrinking number of parishioners. The the Burlington Diocese for its approval. Christ the King-St. Anthony parish has Selling the St. Anthony site would bucked the latter trend — according eliminate overhead costs, and the sale to O’Donnell, there’s actually been an proceeds would be reinvested in the uptick in people attending mass at the parish, according to O’Donnell. One two churches since he took over last possibility, he said, would be to send July; he estimated that about 1,000 more money to the school at Christ the people attend one of the six weekend King, which he described as “thriving.” masses held at the churches. But that’s little comfort to those who
It’s a big, ugly monstrosity.
live close by St. Anthony’s, for whom a massive apartment complex is a much less desirable neighbor than a quiet church. “It’s a big, ugly monstrosity,” said Marylen Grigas, whose house is on the other side of Pine Street from St. Anthony’s. Despite O’Donnell’s reassurances, many community members said they think it’s a done deal, based on the level of detail in Pizzagalli’s proposal. Margo Trotier’s upstairs bedroom overlooks the church property. She’s lived there for 22 years and said she loves her home and neighborhood. But after hearing the news, she said, “I just feel like running for the hills.” Trotier, a real estate agent, wasn’t making an empty statement. Shortly after she learned of the development plan, she started printing out listings for available properties elsewhere in Burlington. Pizzagalli’s proposal calls for closing two of the three vehicle entrances on the current property, which would funnel all traffic onto Ferguson Avenue, a relatively quiet street that runs parallel to Flynn Avenue and perpendicular to Pine. The documents filed with the DRB state that “little change to traffic congestion is anticipated,” but residents said such an influx of people will inevitably clog the streets. Grigas predicts traffic “pouring out onto Ferguson.” For neighbors, the concern isn’t just about what may be coming. For St. Anthony parishioners — many of whom
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by South End residents. “In sheer mass By donating to the Nongame and volume,” she wrote, “the proposed Wildlife Fund you protect structure is startling.” Vermont’s endangered wildlife O’Neil cited a number of areas in for future generations to enjoy. which the proposal conflicts with the “vision statements” in the city’s Every $1 you give means an extra Municipal Development Plan. Among $2 helping Vermont’s wildlife. them are the need for the city to “retain Look for the loon on line 29a of and enhance Burlington’s historic your Vermont income tax form buildings and architectural features” and and to “maintain neighborhood proportions Nongame Wildlife Fund please of scale and mass.” donate. The city has made it clear it wants the .00 29a. St. Anthony’s church to stay, according to Pizzagalli’s development manager, www.vtfishandwildlife.com Bob Bouchard. But his company hasn’t figured out how to repurpose the place of worship. Neither has it determined what 8v-OldSpokes031214.indd 1 3/10/148V-VtFishWildlife030514.indd 9:28 AM 1 3/4/14 type of housing would be appropriate for the area, though he said market-rate apartments are most likely. Bouchard said he plans to work closely with the parish to address people’s concerns. He may be uniquely suited for that role — Bouchard is a member of the parish, and he was both baptized and married in the St. Anthony church. (O’Donnell said he chose the company not because of any connection to Bouchard but because Pizzagalli has Thursday, March 20 at 7:30 pm worked with the diocese before.) Pizzagalli has a tentative contract Sponsors Media with the parish, according to Bouchard, Audio described and since the word got out, he’s had plenty of inquiries from other developers interested in the property. Whether Season Sponsor it’s his company or another, Bouchard predicted that change is coming to the church. “It’s not going to stay as it is. What the neighbors need to appreciate is the church is doing something,” he said. As strong as their ties to the church may be, St. Anthony’s parishioners said Saturday, March 22 at 8 pm they aren’t blind to the times. They’ve seen their ranks dwindle. They know Media the church coffers are depleted. They know there’s a need for more housing in Burlington. They just didn’t expect to see the writing on the walls of Facebook. m
SEVENDAYSVt.com
have attended mass there for decades and had connections to a school that closed in 1971 — the loss would be acutely personal. The church has been a community hub for its non-Catholic neighbors, as well. A regular group plays basketball at the parish hall, and, on other evenings, there are dance and tae kwon do lessons. “Shock,” was the word most South End residents interviewed for this story used when describing their reactions, and the surprise was particularly acute among parishioners. “I was disturbed that a proposal could go as far as this one has without the general population of the parish knowing about it,” Boisvert said. Several other parishioners, who asked that their names be withheld, also said they were dismayed that O’Donnell hadn’t told them ahead of time. “It was like we didn’t belong to the parish,” said one longtime parishioner, who described the news as “heartbreaking.” O’Donnell, who has a reputation for forging deep connections with parishioners, said he would have done things a little differently had he known the city was going to send out letters. But he said it shouldn’t have been a surprise. “I would have certainly said there were proposals out there, but I basically would have gotten up and said, ‘Folks, we are continuing the discussion we’ve had for the last 15 years, and these are the options we are considering.” According to O’Donnell, there has been “extensive conversation for a number of years” about the possibility of selling St. Anthony’s. The DRB had initially scheduled a public hearing on the proposal for this week. But in the wake of the neighborhood outcry, Pizzagalli Properties postponed the forum until May 6. Mary O’Neil, the city planner who did a preliminary review of the plan, echoed some of the concerns expressed
O
ther animals such as bald eagles and bats are still at risk.
localmatters
School Daze: Burlington Education Leaders Mull Another Budget Vote B y K e v i n J. K elle y
SEVENDAYSvt.com 03.19.14-03.26.14 SEVEN DAYS 16 LOCAL MATTERS
Photos: Matthew Thorsen
B
urlington school officials remain torn over whether to ask voters again to approve an increase in spending — and taxes — for the coming year, or simply to default to the current year’s budget. Either way, warned school board member and finance committee chairman Keith Pillsbury, school officials are going to have to make some difficult decisions about ways to save money. “There will be an impact on students,” he said. “It will be painful.” The indecision stems in part from unfamiliarity. Year after year, city residents have approved the hikes in school budgets and local property taxes proposed by the board, even though the increases were often far higher than the general rate of inflation. “The people of Burlington have been extremely generous to the schools,” said Bob Abbey, head of the Burlington teachers’ union. That decade-long trend came to an end on March 4. A majority of voters in four of the city’s seven wards said no to a proposed $66.9 million school budget that would have raised the education property tax by 9.9 percent. It might seem that school officials have little to lose by trimming the proposed budget for fiscal year 2015 and trying to win approval in a special election. If the downwardly revised spending plan failed, the city would default to the current year’s budget — which would still carry a tax increase of about 7 percent. There is another question of cost, however. Conducting a revote could run the city around $30,000. The school board and central office must also consider the consequences of delaying decisions on proposed staff cuts. Some of the 48 teachers threatened with job losses under the default budget might take positions outside the Burlington district rather than wait to see if the ax actually falls, said superintendent Jeanne Collins. “Whatever direction is taken, it should happen sooner rather than later,” she advised. The school board will undergo a major shift in personnel next month. All three incumbents who faced opponents on Town Meeting Day lost their seats. In addition to those successful challengers, three other newbies will be joining the board, with the result that nearly half its voting members will have no previous
Bob Abbey
Jeanne Collins
experience with budgeting for the said of past budgets. But, he noted, “We Burlington School District. have some pretty big needs.” A few current and incoming board Due to the city’s sizable immigrant members oppose a revote on the population, Burlington schools face grounds that it would further alienate greater challenges than ones in other taxpayers and inevitably bring a second Vermont districts. Much of Burlington’s rejection. “The district doesn’t have any growth in spending has been driven political capital left in the bank,” said by the costs of special education and Scot Shumski, an opponent of the 9.9 English-language learning programs. percent increase who bested an incum- Defenders of the $66.9 million budget bent Ward 4 school commissioner on also point out that student enrollment has Town Meeting Day. risen in Burlington Board chairman while it has shrunk in Alan Matson said many other districts. that “both sides make Still, Shumski strong arguments” in argued, the growth regard to the revote in spending has option. The board been excessive. The shouldn’t decide on Burlington school whether to hold a budget has risen revote, he suggests, more than 30 percent S cott S h u msk i until the public has a in the past five years, chance to express its he said, while student preferences through a public hearing. enrollment increased just 2.3 percent And that hearing must elicit broadly over the same span. representative views, he added, noting Officials would have to concentrate that in public comment sessions prior cuts in a small slice of the budget if the to Town Meeting Day “everyone who board opted to retain all 400 of the disspoke said you can’t cut certain things trict’s teachers — thereby keeping class from the budget. And then the voters sizes at their current ratios, said Matson. said they wanted things taken out of the Personnel costs, largely determined by budget.” union contracts, and state-mandated Bernie O’Rourke, the commissioner programs account for about 80 percent who lost to Shumski in Ward 4, favors a of Burlington school spending. In order revote as a potential way of limiting the to achieve an overall 2 percent budget cuts affecting students. “Yes, we’ve had reduction, it would be necessary to some pretty big increases,” O’Rourke cut the non-mandated 20 percent of
The district doesn’t have any political capital left in the bank.
Alan Matson
expenditures by 10 percent, Matson calculated. That would likely involve eliminating or curtailing some after-school programs, including sports. Collins cited the district’s full-day kindergarten program as another candidate for cutting because the state requires only half-day K. But the board would be reluctant to take that step, Matson predicted, because “it’s understood there’s no more important time for education than the early years.” David Kirk, a newly elected commissioner in Ward 7, said that “some of the feel-good programs may have to take a bite.” That could include the farm-to-school food project, Kirk said. And Collins acknowledged that officials might have to slow down or halt the “one-to-one initiative” under which every middle school and high school student — and their teachers — will eventually get a computing device. Collins’ recent announcement that 48 teachers and nine administrators may lose their jobs to save money was required under union contracts, she said. But officials may not have to cut that many jobs regardless of the outcome of the budget deliberations. “I will do everything I can to make it less than that,” she said. “I’m going to look everywhere I can other than the classroom.” The announcement of possible layoffs was “an overreaction,” said Richard Hillyard, a critic of Burlington school budgeting practices. “When you say,
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“We have one of the most equitable funding systems for public education in the United States,” the union chief said, referring to the two landmark laws — Acts 60 and 68 —aimed at equalizing educational opportunity throughout Vermont. Allen doesn’t think the legislature needs to rush anything through. She noted, “The school budgets did pass in 85 percent of districts” on Town Meeting Day. Janet Ancel, the Calais Democrat who chairs the Ways and Means Committee, said her tax-writing panel had been debating changes in education financing prior to Town Meeting Day. In its aftermath, there may be more momentum for a still-loosely sketched proposal to reduce reliance on property tax by deriving a portion of school funding from the state income tax, Ancel said. However, nothing would be finalized in time to affect next year’s budgets. Even as the legislature ponders whether to adjust the financial underpinnings of schools around the state, local districts may wish to consider structural changes of their own, said Burlington board chairman Matson. Hillyard, the school-spending critic from Ward 1, said it’s “ludicrous” that a $67 million spending plan is drawn up and overseen by amateurs. Matson didn’t use that word, but he also didn’t disagree with Hillyard’s remark. The 16-member Burlington board, made up of two commissioners from each of the city’s seven wards and two nonvoting student representatives, consists of “volunteers who are largely self-selected,” Matson said. Would-be or incumbent school commissioners seldom face competition at the ballot box. The uncompensated job involves long hours spent on complicated topics. Matson is a certified financial consultant, but few others on the board have much background in fiscal issues. “There’s no one looking out to ensure we get all the skill sets we need,” he said. One possibility might be to establish a regional oversight mechanism that could exercise more effective scrutiny over school budgets and operations. “It’s not in my own interest to say this,” Matson concedes, “but there it is.” m
SEVENDAYSVt.com
‘Oh, we didn’t get the budget through, so we have to cut 48 teachers and nine administrators,’ it has to be asked, ‘Why did you approve a 12 percent increase for teachers a few months ago?’” Hillyard was referring to the threeyear salary deal negotiated by the district and the Burlington Education Association — the local chapter of the Vermont teachers’ union. That pay hike served to pull Burlington teachers into the middle ranks of compensation rates among Chittenden County districts, noted union leader Abbey. “No one wants Burlington teachers to be lowest on the scale — and for teachers to start off in Burlington and then move to a better-paying district after a few years,” he said. The union agreed to a few concessions in exchange for the 12 percent pay package, Abbey added. Most notably, Burlington teachers will work one extra day each year. Abbey suggested the board look for savings in the central office and in some after-school programs. The budget was rejected primarily because “voters didn’t understand what the additional money was needed for,” she said. Burlington taxpayers “weren’t getting the transparency they wanted” from the central office. The Burlington’s board’s ability to ease the burden on taxpayers is further crimped by state school financing mechanisms. Less than one-third of the 9.9 percent tax increase proposed on Town Meeting Day was attributable to local decision making. Most of the hike resulted from state formulas over which Burlington school commissioners have no control. So is it time for the legislature to retool school funding mechanisms, given that budgets were defeated in votes across the state? Yes, said Ward 4 commissioner Ben Truman, a former state legislator. “The state has to act.” Martha Allen, president of the Vermont Teachers’ Association, agrees that the legislature “should take a look” at the funding provisions that have produced statewide tax hikes significantly above the inflation rate in many recent years. But, Allen cautioned, those provisions were put in place for sound reasons.
Contact: kevin@sevendaysvt.com
localmatters
Two Years After a Taser Death, a Reform Bill Comes Under Fire b y M ar k D av i s
SEVENDAYSvt.com 03.19.14-03.26.14 SEVEN DAYS 18 LOCAL MATTERS
Matthew Thorsen
W
hen an unarmed, mentally ill man died after being shot by a Taser-wielding Vermont state trooper in June 2012, members of the public and many officials responded with outrage and calls for reform. Advocates for the mentally ill pushed for stricter rules and training for officers who carry stun guns. The Attorney General’s Office held public hearings, as did a police advisory board. More than 30 lawmakers from both political parties sponsored a bill that they said was a direct response to the death of 39-year-old Macadam Mason at his Thetford home. But nearly two years later, little has changed in how Vermont police officers use stun guns. And the primary effort to bring change — a bill that passed the House Government Operations Committee last week and seemed poised to clear the House as of press time — was so watered down that some of the committee members who approved it unanimously questioned how effective it would be. “I wanted to see something much stronger,” State Rep. Joanna Cole (D-Burlington) said during a hearing last week. “It was my impression that we were going to put out a bill that would change the status quo. Are we convinced that what we’ve got here with this bill … that we would not see a replay of what happened to the gentleman from Thetford?” State Rep. Maida Townsend (D-South Burlington) asked her fellow committee members. She received no answer. Supporters of the bill acknowledge that some provisions were stripped away that would have resulted in greater oversight of police stun-gun use. But they say the bill makes one crucial advance: For the first time, Vermont would have consistent standards and training — to be conducted at the Vermont Police Academy — for officers who carry stun guns. Currently, most departments conduct their own training, based on their own rules. “It’s setting up for the first time a policy that will be used statewide for training,” said Donna Sweaney (D-Windsor), who is chair of the gov ops committee that crafted and passed the bill. “That is one of the important issues that we wanted to have happen.” But not everyone is convinced that even that will do much to reduce questionable Taser deployments. Why? The bill essentially enshrines into state law those policies that individual law-enforcement agencies have used for years — policies
Standard taser used by St. Albans police
that critics say have allowed for excessive use of stun guns. Current standards at Vermont police agencies, mirrored by police agencies across the country, allow officers to fire Tasers when they are simply at risk of injury, or when subjects are “actively resisting” police commands. “I think the bill makes the situation worse … They’re codifying a poor public policy,” said defense attorney Robert Appel, the former head of the Vermont Human Rights Commission who has pursued litigation against police officers in use-of-force cases. “It’s a green light to a police officer to use it any and every time they have any concern about them or the subject being hurt. It’s a low-level standard. I would rather see them do nothing than pass this language.” Rhonda Taylor, Mason’s mother, also said she thinks the bill falls short of needed protections for civilians. “I am so disappointed with the governor of Vermont, the Vermont attorney general, the Vermont State Police … and the Vermont legislature that is in the midst of passing this vague, passive bill,” said Taylor, a New Hampshire resident. “My struggle every day to survive the death of my son is extreme beyond words. I sincerely hope that no one else has to suffer the way our family and all of his loved ones have.” Tasers took center stage in June 2012, when Vermont State Police responded to a call that brought them to the home Mason shared with his girlfriend, Theresa Davidonis. Mason had telephoned a local hospital and threatened to harm himself and others. After suffering a brain seizure the night before, Mason was in an agitated and irrational state that doctors say is common among such patients. Davidonis says she relayed that information to troopers and pleaded with them to leave Mason alone so that he could calm down. Instead, a confrontation ensued, during which Trooper David Shaffer
Law Enforcement ordered Mason to lie down on the ground. He didn’t, and police say Mason began moving toward the trooper in a threatening manner, with a closed fist. The trooper fired his Taser, striking Mason in the chest. He died of cardiac arrest. Davidonis’ son has said that Mason had raised his hands in surrender, and was not a threat to police. Attorney General Bill Sorrell cleared Shaffer of criminal wrongdoing, saying the trooper was justified in firing the stun gun. But in announcing that decision, Sorrell said he would convene public meetings to discuss police use of Tasers and asked the state’s law enforcement advisory board to study training protocols.
I think the bill makes the situation worse
… They’re codifying a poor public policy. R o b ert A p p el
Meanwhile, more than 30 lawmakers proposed legislation that would have dramatically limited the conditions under which police could fire Tasers, which emit about 50,000 volts of electricity to temporarily paralyze a target. The law would have required police to use Tasers only when they felt their lives or the lives of others were at risk, the standard that applies when officers fire a traditional gun. The bill also would have required officers to take “steps to prevent unwarranted use” of stun guns against people who, like Mason, suffer from cognitive impairments that interfere with their ability to understand and follow police commands. Both provisions were stripped from the final bill last week. In their place was
language that gives police broad discretion in deciding whether to fire Tasers — the kind of latitude they currently enjoy. The bill now says, in part “officers are not required to use alternatives that increase the danger to themselves or the public” and that stun guns can be used “in response to an actively resistant subject.” Such language is included almost verbatim in existing policies long used by most Vermont police agencies, including the Burlington Police Department and the Vermont State Police. How did a bill designed to include greater protections from stun guns for civilians end up simply repeating regulations long used by police? Sweaney’s committee decided to defer to the work of another group that had been studying the Taser issue — the police-dominated law enforcement advisory board. The LEAB, created by the legislature in 2004, is charged with advising state officials on law-enforcement priorities and improving coordination between police agencies. By law, 10 of its 12 members are law-enforcement officials and prosecutors. Since Mason’s death, the board has worked with the Attorney General’s Office to design uniform standards for Taser use, and to draw up plans for an officer Taser training program at the Vermont Police Academy. (Currently, Vermont police agencies, including the Vermont State Police, conduct their own training programs, which are based on curriculum from the manufacturer, Taser International.) The LEAB, in turn, used existing policies from local police agencies in drafting its own statewide policy, which went back to Sweaney, according to LEAB chairman Rick Gauthier. Sweaney, the committee chairwoman, acknowledged that the bill was rewritten to match the LEAB’s draft policy. But she pronounced herself satisfied with the result. But these are the very same policies that have made Taser use controversial in the first place. Of most concern to critics is the adoption of the “active resistance” standard for firing a Taser. The LEAB’s current training protocols define “active resistance” as “pulling away, escaping or fleeing, struggling and not complying on physical contact, or other energy enhanced physical or mechanical defiance.” Active resistance has been at the heart of several questionable police Taser incidents, some of which occurred long before Mason’s death. It was the reason a Vermont State Police trooper gave in 2006 for firing a
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do use stun guns say the weapons have proven invaluable in reducing injuries, both to officers and civilians. Police chiefs from three Chittenden County departments — Burlington, South Burlington and St. Albans — said in interviews that stun guns have led to fewer worker’s compensation claims being filed by officers and a reduced number of confrontations with subjects who are more compliant when faced with a stun gun. South Burlington Police Chief Trevor Whipple said he has received no complaints from civilians about Taser use since at least 2006. Meanwhile, his officers have fired and brandished the weapons less frequently every year; the mere threat of the weapon is usually enough to make subjects obey commands. “They’re a very valuable tool when used appropriately,” Whipple said. “When it’s needed, it’s incredibly effective.” If the bill with increased training requirements passes, Whipple believes his officers, who received in-house instruction guided by Taser International, will likely be considered in compliance. LEAB’s Gauthier indicated that many officers could be grandfathered in but may have to receive annual recertification from the Vermont Police Academy under a future program. Gauthier said the bill represented a good starting point in making police use of Tasers safe, but cautioned that there would always be some danger involved. “What we’re trying to do is give more guidance in scenarios,” Gauthier said. The new legislation does include at least one new protection against potential police abuse that officers in South Burlington and elsewhere will have to remember. At the behest of State Rep. Linda Martin, the bill includes a provision banning officers from using stun guns on animals, unless officers feel their safety is threatened. That won’t do much for the next Macadam Mason. “I’m not sure what you’re accomplishing by passing it,” mental health activist Laura Ziegler told lawmakers, “other than saying you did something.” m
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Taser at a Bradford man who was suffering an epileptic seizure while police attempted to handcuff him. Another state trooper had the same justification for firing a Taser at a 23-year-old man with Down Syndrome who, when police tried to move him, refused to go along. Both incidents led to lawsuits. The state paid $40,000 to the Bradford man; and the man with Down Syndrome received an undisclosed sum of money from the state. In 2012, Vermont Public Radio reported that Vermont State Police had fired Tasers at people attempting suicide or experiencing a mental health crisis 10 times in the previous 18 months. Mental health advocates say the people they represent are often thought to be “actively resistant,” when they simply don’t understand what police are telling them. “To me, that doesn’t justify the use of something that is potentially lethal. Active resistance, in an individual with cognitive disabilities, it’s an indication that they probably don’t understand what [police] are trying to do,” said Ed Paquin, executive director of Disabilities Rights Vermont. “They key is the threshold of when it can be used. I don’t think they should be used for things that are a matter of compliance. It should be clear that somebody has to be in danger before the thing should be used.” Similar questions have surrounded the use of stun guns across the nation. A 2011 study by the federal Department of Justice generally supported the use of Tasers and similar devices to subdue subjects who hadn’t responded to other measures. However, it called for caution in dealing with people who, like Mason, were mentally unstable. “Abnormal mental status in a combative or resistive subject, sometimes called ‘excited delirium,’ may be associated with a risk for sudden death. This should be treated as a medical emergency,” the report stated. Sweaney said the push for increased, universal training will address many of the concerns. As with most legislation, she said, some lawmakers had to compromise in order to move the bill forward. “We wanted to make sure the training was there,” Sweaney reiterated. Those law-enforcement agencies that
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HATEFUL LETTER
We published a letter to the editor last week that generated some strong reactions from readers. Some people think we shouldn’t have printed the views of Brian King, who strongly disagrees with some of the content in the personals section of Seven Days, which he has nicknamed ‘The Fag Rag.” Others, of course, were concerned about the man’s ferret, whose litter box is lined with those pages he finds distasteful. Only in Vermont...
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20 FEEDBACK
Advanced Tickets at www.goddard.edu/concerts
MADTECH SOUND
2/28/14 3:50 PM
Christopher Maloney BARRE
After reading last week’s Feedback, I’d like to take a moment to thank Seven Days for not filtering it out. I think that it’s important for us to see what our LGBTQ community has to put up with. I’m sure most of our gay community can let this roll off effortlessly by heeding the same advice my parents gave me when kids in school were mean: “Consider the source.” I almost feel more for Brian than for the people he was trying to hurt with this letter. Maybe he should take a minute to look through the personal ads; maybe he’ll find someone willing to look past his painful sexual repressions and open his mind a little. I don’t know what happened to make sex such a sore subject, but there are people out there who can help you. Lashing out at people who are different than you won’t ease your pain or your fears.
You, Brian King, should be grateful for the light that illuminates the darkness in which you wallow.
I’m writing in regard to ‘The Fag Rag’ and Brian King’s use of the personals section. While I understand the need for inexpensive (in this case free — thank you, Seven Days!) options for filling your ferret’s litter box, I urge you to consider a healthier option. Ferrets who are exposed to the content in the personals section have been shown to experience severe medical and behavioral problems, including but not limited to broadened horizons, euphoria, smiling, laughing, increased curiosity, sense of adventure, belief in hope and possibility, and an overall sense of boredom at being owned by the most boring person to read Seven Days. Also: The young woman at Rite Aid was most definitely right: You don’t have to read it. You could spend money on another newspaper for your ferret to use, but something tells me you get a certain satisfaction out of sneaking a peek at the dirty personals before your ferret makes them even dirtier. There’s nothing wrong with that; I only hope your ferret is on board.
Noel Bumpas
Rachel Venooker
BURLINGTON
BURLINGTON
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www.madtechsound.com
The letter to the editor, ‘The Fag Rag,’ which at first stunned me with its sheer stupidity and general Neanderthal timbre, eventually made me think how proud I am to be one of “those people” with “the sick sex problems.” Of course, sick to one person isn’t the same as sick to another, which to me would be living with ferrets and carrying a constant aura of musk and urine around with you everywhere you travel. But I digress. I’ll stick to reading Seven Days and not lining my apartment with it, thanks.
Andy Whitaker
Brandon Hosier
Haybarn Theatre at Goddard College • Saturday, April 5 • 7:30pm
4t-GoddardCollege030514.indd 1
I am normally a big fan of your paper but was shocked to see that you printed the ‘The Fag Rag’ letter in your Feedback section. I understand that you must get your fair share of bigoted hate speech from the dregs of society, but I would hope that you throw those letters in the garbage where they belong or, for that matter, hand them to the police — not print them in your paper giving bigots the voice and influence they crave but certainly don’t deserve. I am far more offended by you printing Mr. King’s letter than anything people, gay or straight, post in the personals. Please consider more carefully what you print and do not spread hate speech and bigoted slurs.
l
WILLISTON
READ, POST, SHARE + COMMENT: LIFELINES.SEVENDAYSVT.COM
lifelines OBITUARIES
Shirley Dusablon Berard
1934-2014, WINOOSKI
James Leo Delisle Jr.
1938-2014, COLCHESTER
1952-2014, MILTON
Allen Edward Menard, age 61, passed away on March 13, 2014, at Fletcher Allen Hospital surrounded by his loving family. Allen was born on May 3, 1952, to Doris Sweeney and Edward Menard, later married to Jean Menard. He leaves behind four children: Heather (Steven) Spinks, Allen (Jen) Root, Angela (Jamie) Menard and Miranda (Everrod) Menard; seven grandchildren: Shean Carey, Sarah Carey and Paige Begins; Jordan and Joshua Reil; and Taylen and Taliah Bennett; and newly added greatgrandchildren: Miguel Pineda and Nova Carey. He also leaves behind nine loving and dedicated siblings: Linda Charbonneau, Brenda Cain, Susan Burns, Lori Mashteare, Danny (Vicki) Menard, Joey (Becky) Menard, Jamy (Ann) Menard, Bryan Menard and Lisa Menard; also, a stepsister Sherry Mahoney. He leaves behind many nieces, nephews and great friendships, with a special mention of his lifelong friend, Paul Slingerland. He is predeceased by both parents, Edward and Doris Menard. Allen kept his family and friends close to his heart and touched the lives of many. He was a proud member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles #4218 where his memorial service will be held on Sunday, March 23, from 1 to 5 p.m., located at 42 Centre Drive in Milton, Vt. Burial will be determined at a later date. All are welcome to come celebrate the life of such an amazing father, brother and friend. Donations can be accepted at the Eagles Club to help with family matters. Online condolences may be shared with the family at lavignefuneralhome.com. Arrangements are under the care of LaVigne Funeral Home, Winooski, Vt.
LIFE LINES 21
James Leo Delisle, Jr., of Colchester, Vt., passed away peacefully, after a long and difficult battle with liver cancer, on March 7, 2014, at the Respite House in Williston, Vt. Jim, born in Burlington, Vermont on July 14, 1938, was the son of predeceased parents James Leo Delisle Sr. and Elaine Norma (Bushway), also of Colchester. Jim graduated from Burlington High School in 1957. Prior to graduation, he entered the U.S. Navy, in 1955. Upon
Allen Edward Menard
SEVEN DAYS
1927-2014, COLCHESTER Jean Brett of Colchester, Vt., passed away on March 12, 2014. Jean was born in the Bronx on September 29, 1927, to Hugh Paul and Veronica Sheridan. Jean had
Jean Sioss (Bill) and Francis (Deb); her brother H. Paul Sheridan (Regina); thirteen grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; Theresa McCarthy-Sumner, Rhea Foley, B.J. and Madeline Ianfolla, Jack Calvey, Mary LaFramboise (her deeply loved caregiver), and many dear friends and neighbors. A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Friday, March 14, 2014, at Christ the King Church in Burlington, VT. A memorial service was held on Monday, March 17, 2014, at Transfiguration Church, Tarrytown, NY. Online condolences may be shared with the family at lavignefuneral home.com. Arrangements are under the care of LaVigne Funeral Home, Winooski, Vt.
family and friends, taking road trips to Montana with Roger, enjoying afternoon barbeques, and watching his grandchildren grow. Jim is survived by his devoted wife, Shirley; two sons: Timothy Delisle and wife Catherine Comar of Sunderland, Vermont, and Mark and Susan (Enos) Delisle of Charlotte, Vt.; two daughters: Ann Faryniarz of Jericho, Vt., and Melissa Dickinson and husband Aaron of South Burlington, Vt.; 10 grandchildren: Ethan, Hunter and Dakota Delisle, Grace and John Delisle; Joseph and Lee Faryniarz; and Amanda, Adam and Anna Companion. He is also survived by two sisters: Shirley (Delisle) Foster of Burlington and Carolyn (Delisle) Demore of West Brookfield, Massachusetts; one brother, Gary Delisle and wife Marilynn of Arizona; step-sister Cindy Jones of Burlington; in-laws Frances Bosley of Colchester, Betty Marrier of Fairfax, Vt., Joan Bosley of Burlington, Marian Bosley of South Burlington, Theresa Martin of Colchester, and Tom and Sally Bosley of Underhill; many nieces and nephews and extended family members, including Tia Delisle, Joseph Faryniarz and Daniel Companion; and many, many in-laws and cousins. He will be especially missed by his friend and hunting buddy, Roger Dow of East Fairfield. Visitation was held on March 14, 5-8 p.m., at the Lavigne Funeral Home in Winooski, Vt. The funeral service was held at 11 a.m., Saturday, March 15, at Holy Cross Church in Colchester. A short reception will follow with military honors. Online condolences may be shared with the family at lavignefuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the Vermont Respite House, 99 Allen Brook Lane, Williston, VT 05495. The family wishes to thank the dedicated staff at FAHC, Starr Farm Nursing Home of Burlington, and the wonderful, caring staff and volunteers at the Vermont Respite House. Their professionalism and compassionate care during Jim’s illness was significant in his dignified and peaceful passing.
03.19.14-03.26.14
Jean Brett
wonderful memories of her parents, extended family and friends. As a young child she attended Catholic school and developed a deep abiding faith in God which sustained her throughout her life. Jean attended Saint Brendan’s Elementary School, the Academy of Mount Saint Vincent High School and Fordham University. On November 15, 1952, Jean married William B. McCarthy at St. John’s Church in New York City. They had seven children between 1953 and 1966. In September of 1967, her husband William died. In spite of this tragedy, Jean went to work and supported and successfully raised her children while opening her home to countless other children. Jean was a strong and resilient woman with a great sense of humor and adventure. She had that rare quality of accepting people for who they are and making people feel welcome and comfortable. Because of her wonderful character, her integrity and her commitment to the people that she loved, she had a large supportive network of family and lifelong friends. In 1976, Jean married John Brett and they lived in Long Island. Jean worked full time for the New York City Police Department as a union steward, where she was instrumental in ensuring equal pay for women and other minority city workers. She retired in 1992. In 2001, Jean had a stroke. Shortly thereafter, her husband John died, and she went to live with her daughter Kathleen and husband Charles Painter in Jacksonville, Florida. In 2007, she moved to Vermont to live with her daughter and son-in-law, Jean and William Sioss. Jean traveled extensively and she loved nothing more than to spend time with her extended family and friends, particularly with her many exceptional grandchildren. Jean is survived by her seven children and their spouses: Bernard (Tamara), Jim (Catherine), Marian McCosh (Peter), John (Terri), Kathleen (Charles Painter),
graduation he served aboard the USS Samuel B. Roberts. While on the Sammy B., he visited many countries, including Italy, Spain, Lebanon, Cuba, Denmark, Iran and Greece. Jim attended the 1959 opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in Québec, Canada. Continuing his military career as a reservist, Jim served with the Vermont Seabees, a local unit chosen to be the cold weather battalion, with training in Alaska and Iceland. Jim retired from the Navy Mobil Construction Battalion in 1998, as a steel worker, senior chief, with 29 years of loyal service. He dutifully served his country, spending seven months in the Vietnam Campaign in 1968-1969. His final duty was as officer in charge at the U.S. Naval Reserve Center, Burlington waterfront location. He was united in marriage to Shirley Ann Bosley, of Colchester, on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 1959, at Holy Cross Church by Rev. Joseph Joy. Jim worked for the University of Vermont’s physical plant for more than 42 years, following the footsteps of his father. Jim began his UVM career at the age of 12, dusting the student chairs, and at age 14 he was mowing lawns during the summertime. Upon receiving an honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy, Jim continued to work at UVM as a master welder, eventually becoming drafter/estimator and finally retiring in 1995. Traditionally, new homes in the early days were built through the collaboration of family carpenters, roofers, plumbers, electricians and skilled laborers. Jim and Shirley’s home was designed and built in 1964 with the generous help of many immediate family members. As his two sons (Tim and Mark) became old enough, most of Jim’s after-work hours would be spent tirelessly replacing and repairing asphalt and slate roofs in the Burlington and surrounding areas. With a long-standing wealth of knowledge as a jack-of-alltrades, Jim began a short career working as a real estate agent before his final retirement. Jim’s last years were spent “yard sailing” to collect treasures (especially clocks), hunting with his
SEVENDAYSVT.COM
Shirley Dusablon Berard passed away peacefully on March 12, 2014, with her loving family by her side. She was born September 25, 1934, to Russell and Anna Wescott. Left to cherish her memory are her daughters Lisa and Linda; son Roger; brothers Russell (Jeanne), Richard (Hattie), Raymond, and Larry (Sue); sisters Joanie, Carol and Ilean; and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, greatgreat-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends. A service will be announced in the spring. Online condolences may be shared with the family at lavignefuneralhome.com. Arrangements are under the care of LaVigne Funeral Home, Winooski, Vt.
OBITUARIES, VOWS CELEBRATIONS
stateof thearts The Green Mountain Film Festival Returns With New Vigor and New Films
FILM
People of a Feather
SEVEN DAYS
03.19.14-03.26.14
SEVENDAYSvt.com
T
22 STATE OF THE ARTS
Courtesy of IFC Films
Courtesy of First Run Features
B y E tha n d e S e i fe
he 2013 Toronto International Film Festival screened nearly 300 feature films, but you’d expect a number like that in a city of almost three million. By contrast, 64 features are playing at the 10-day Green Mountain Film Festival, which begins this Friday. Thinking per capita, that means one film for every 123 residents of Montpelier — not even counting short films or special events. None of the big festivals can boast such a ratio. It may not be gigantic, but the GMFF can boast a wide-ranging program of films from all over the world. The festival screens digitally at just a handful of venues, but its offerings will likely satisfy even the most demanding of Vermont cinephiles. Now in its 17th year, the GMFF is unlike other local film festivals in eschewing any particular theme or purpose. Terry Youk is the president and acting director of the festival, as well as the owner of Montpelier’s Savoy Theater, site of two of the festival’s three main screening rooms. As he puts it, “We don’t have a social agenda or an environmentalist agenda. We’re steeped in the arthouse culture of film. If we toe any line … it’s to represent as many great films as we can from every genre.” Besides its many new films, this year’s fest offers screenings of recently restored or forgotten classics, showcases of local filmmaking talent and a number of special programs. Among the events in the last category is a retrospective of the films of Sutton resident and acclaimed actor Luis Guzmán, who will be in attendance. Other special programs include a panel discussion called “Creativity in the Digital Age,” with speakers such as Vermont Public Television’s Hilary Hess and recently anointed Cartoonist Laureate of
Finding Vivian Maier
Vermont Ed Koren; and a one-of-a-kind one-time-only events known as “sneaks.” multimedia event with banjo virtuoso These screenings are win-win-wins: Audiences get a chance to see films not Béla Fleck. Youk is particularly excited about the yet in wide distribution, the films’ dislast event, which will include a screening tributors get a chance to spark word of of the documentary Béla Fleck: How to mouth and the festival pays little or no Write a Banjo Concerto, a live performance money to show significant works of curand a discussion with Fleck. The unusual rent cinema. If the GMFF appears robust now, way in which the event came together two years ago it nearly dissolved when epitomizes the festival’s friendly vibe. Youk saw Fleck perform in 2011 its board of directors resigned en masse. at Burlington’s Flynn Center for the Though Youk won’t point to any single issue, he notes that when he stepped in as Performing Arts, where the banjoist played part of a concerto (Youk calls it “jaw-drop- president, he decided to make a number ping”) that he was then composing for the of structural changes to the organization. “Truthfully,” he Nashville Symphony. says, “the way that the Upon learning that festival had been run the concerto was the previous to last year subject of a new docuwas pretty archaic … mentary, Youk thought the film was a natural It was incredibly complicated, inefficient for the GMFF. As it and expensive.” happens, Paul Boffa, Since that 2012 the festival’s director shake-up, the GMFF of special events, is a has adopted a someclose friend of Fleck’s E r i c Reyn o l ds what unusual filmstage manager. After selection process. a simple request from Boffa, the musician to agree to accompany Youk is careful with his words when discussing this subject, but implies that the film to Montpelier. Events featuring celebrities such as an insufficient number of people made Fleck and Guzmán may attract the most programming decisions in the past. Now, attention, but the GMFF’s main strength the festival has a “working group” with a lies in the diversity of its film program- membership hovering around 25 people, ming. Films of note include Elaine any of whom can suggest films. The use Stritch: Shoot Me, a new documentary of a simple one-to-five-star rating scale about the brassy Broadway legend; Faust, imparts a bit of mathematical rigor to the most recent feature from Russian the discussions. A six-person steering master director Aleksandr Sokurov; and committee reviews the judgments of the Peter Bogdanovich’s first feature, the working group and makes the final prosemi-obscure 1968 film Targets, which gramming decisions. will screen in a restored version. Eric Reynolds, the festival’s (and the Several of the new films in the festi- Savoy’s) programming coordinator, is an val, including the Stritch doc and Don avid cinephile. He concurs with Youk’s McKellar’s The Grand Seduction, are assertion that the festival’s mission is
Our audiences are interested in thoughtful and insightful films that deal with important subjects.
simply to program the best possible films. In a phone conversation, Reynolds enthuses about such films as A Field in England by Ben Wheatley (whose Sightseers played at the 2013 GMFF); the double screening of George A. Romero’s horror classic Night of the Living Dead and the documentary about that film, Birth of the Living Dead; and the recent period comedy Computer Chess. Wait, though — isn’t that the same Computer Chess that’s currently sitting in many a Netflix queue? It is, and Reynolds acknowledges that such competition does sometimes make things tricky for smaller film festivals. Still, he says, “Our audiences are interested in films that aren’t the blockbuster of the week. They’re interested in thoughtful and insightful films that deal with important subjects. It’s a discerning crowd.” The festival is ambitious not just in its programming but in the scope of its exhibition. Less than a week after the GMFF wraps in Montpelier, Catamount Arts in St. Johnsbury will host several “sidebar screenings.” Some of the films playing there will also have screened in Montpelier. But many events are unique to the Northeast Kingdom location, including the fifth annual High School Filmmakers Showcase and several programs of 2013 Oscar-nominated short films. Youk is cautiously optimistic about the festival’s finishing in the black, especially since it’s operating on an approximately $30,000 shortfall from last year, due in part to several donors withdrawing their contributions. He’s been streamlining festival operations and “trying to do as much in-house as we can,” he says. But attendance may depend on factors beyond the control of even the most prepared festival director: More people buy tickets when the skies are gray. “We’re really hoping for lousy weather,” Youk says. He’s joking, but only partly. The Green Mountain Film Festival is both large and small enough to be sensitive to forces of all kinds. m
INFO
Green Mountain Film Festival. Friday, March 21, through Sunday, March 30, at several locations in Montpelier; “sidebar screenings” take place Friday, April 4, through Sunday, April 6, at Catamount Arts in St. Johnsbury. Ticket prices vary. gmffestival.org To read about the Vermont filmmakers at the GMFF, see the Seven Days blog Live Culture.
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B y A m y Li LLy A composition by a member of the Burlington CiviC Symphony orCheStra
sits between the mozart and the Copland on the program for the group’s concert this Saturday, march 22. “Cataclysmic Lament” is a concert overture by Shelburne cellist noah marConi. it’s one of two orchestral works the composer has written; Burlington ChamBer orCheStra
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The Tibetan Association
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SUNDAY
March 23
1:00pm
Join us for an afternoon of Tibetan art and culture as the Tibetan Association of Vermont presents a short performance of music and dance. Migmar Tsering plays the Tibetan drumnyen (lute) and flute, and the Tibetan Association Dance Group performs traditional dance. After the performance, visitors can try a taste of momos, delicious bite-sized dumplings.
www.flemingmuseum.org 61 colchester ave., burlington
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Burlington Civic Symphony Orchestra spring concert. Saturday, march 22, 8 p.m., at the Elley-Long music Center in Colchester. $5-15. flynntix.org, bcsovt.org
Sun 12-5, Mon-Fri 10-7, Sat 10-6 658-4050 • 115 college st, burlington
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commissioned the other. That’s a pretty impressive résumé for a 19-year-old. it’s also, arguably, unsurprising, given the composer’s lineage. marconi is the great-grandson of flute player marcel moyse, who helped found the marlBoro muSiC FeStival with his son Louis. (Louis’ sister was marconi’s grandmother.) And marconi’s maternal grandfather, BjÖern Andreasson, played first violin in the New york Philharmonic for more than 30 years. yet, during a recent phone call, marconi talks of his passion for music as a matter of happenstance rather than destiny. As a child, he says, “i was not musically oriented. i played some piano, but i didn’t listen to classical music or study it.” When he took up the cello in third grade at the Lake Champlain Waldorf School, he was “fulfilling a requirement.” marconi might not have begun composing during his first year of high school, either, had he not lived in Vermont. His school, Champlain Valley Union in Hinesburg, makes the Vermont-based, online composition mentoring program muSiC-Comp available to its students. marconi submitted an early version of “Cataclysmic Lament” to program mentors in the summer of 2012. He completed it in the fall, and the vermont youth orCheStra, in which he played, premiered the piece during First Night that year. What can audiences expect? “it’s a dark piece. in some sections there’s hope, but it quickly goes back to its brooding character,” says the teenager. The final musical “cataclysm” isn’t a reference to any particular event, he adds. But, between
“the mayan calendar ending in 2012 and all those films about the end of the world, and ‘The Walking Dead,’ i get the sense that our culture is dealing with that.” The BCSO’s existence indicates that the culture holds at least as much hope as apocalyptic despair. The audition-based community orchestra was founded in 2011 by three renegades from the amateur muSiCianS orCheStra in Burlington: horn players helen read and marti Walker and AmO conductor daniel BruCe. The trio wanted to give themselves and fellow musicians a chance to play (and conduct) at a higher level without driving long distances. Previously, the area’s only auditioned community orchestras were the Champlain philharmoniC in Vergennes and the vermont philharmoniC in Barre. “it was really scary,” recalls Read, now copresident of BCSO with Walker, of the orchestra’s first year. “But here we are in our third season.” With Bruce as music director, the nonprofit BCSO now has more than 60 members. That the orchestra should provide an outlet for promising composers as well as musicians seems fitting. While marconi awaits the orchestra’s performance of his work, he is composing a third orchestral piece. He has submitted a piece for four cellos — a reworking of a string quartet he wrote at the request of now-defunct Burlington Ensemble — to a Florida-based competition. And he’s been auditioning at music conservatories; he hopes to begin studying composition at one of them next fall. marconi’s unplanned entrée into music now seems like fate. As the composer puts it, “i cannot dream of doing anything else.” m
stateof thearts Hick in the ’Hood Takes Audiences From Vermont to West Oakland B y Xi an C h i an g- Waren
24 STATE OF THE ARTS
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Courtesy of Michael Sommers
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ctor Michael Sommers has a hypothetical scenario that he uses to explain two types of place. “Say a guy gets a new car,” he says. “Someone says, ‘Hey, Mike! That’s a nice shiny new car you’ve got.’ A San Franciscan would say, ‘Thank you!’ But a Vermonter thinks that person’s giving it to him, really saying, ‘Aren’t you full of yourself?’” On the surface, Sommers’ current home in West Oakland, Calif., and his hometown of Middlebury, Vt., don’t have much in common. West Oakland is a historically black neighborhood in the San Francisco Bay Area famous for being the birthplace of the Black Panther movement. Vermont is the second-whitest state in the country, and Addison County is known even within the Green Mountain State for its laidback, agrarian vibe. But Sommers doesn’t see it that way. The actor, now in his late forties, tells a story that defies stereotypes — including racial ones — in his one-man show, Hick in the ’Hood: A Vermont Boy in West Oakland, which he spent the past three years creating. It’s the tale of Sommers’ sometimes shaky but ultimately positive transition to West Oakland, where he moved in 2006. The show has already gotten positive feedback from Bay Area audiences at the Marsh in San Francisco and the Dance Palace in Point Reyes Station, among other venues. This month, Sommers brings the show home — to Lost Nation Theater in Montpelier, the Off Center for the Dramitic Arts in Burlington and Middlebury’s Town Hall Theater. “There’s a real similarity,” says Sommers. “Both Vermont and West Oakland share this idea of self-reliance and a kind of mistrust of authority … We try, in both places, to treat people according to their merit, I believe, as opposed to the brand name of their clothing or car, or their résumé.” Plus, he adds, the best way to win people over in both places is to walk up and say hi. That’s a lesson Sommers learned immediately upon landing in his new neighborhood, as he recounts in the first scene of Hick in the ’Hood. The show opens with a literal crash: Sommers and a friend were in his home one night when they heard a loud noise at the front door. Afraid someone was breaking
Michael Sommers
in, Sommers investigated; sure enough, a actually went over and thanked him … man was at the front door trying to enter. But I literally met my best friend in the What did Sommers do? He went to the neighborhood when he was trying to break into my house.” door and said hi. The man turned For Hick in the ’Hood, Sommers out to be his nextdoor neighbor, tapped his decades of theatrical experience David. In a hilarious to switch seamlessly interaction recreated onstage, David grudgamong more than 30 characters. A graduingly admits he was, in fact, trying to break ate of the University of Vermont’s theater in — but only because program, he cohe’d thought kids founded Burlington’s were inside the house Mi c h ae l S o mm e r s Green Candle Theatre causing trouble. Company (then called “And I gave him the benefit of the doubt. I believed him,” the Garage Theatre) in 1989. In 1994, Sommers says. The friendship didn’t Sommers followed a girl to the Bay Area, happen right away, he’s quick to add. where he joined the Screen Actors Guild “He went home kind of dejected, so I and landed small parts in films including
I literally met my best friend in the neighborhood when he
was trying to break into my house.
Patch Adams, while keeping up a steady stream of commercial gigs. Sommers landed in West Oakland in 2006, right before a divorce and after a long search for a house in the Bay Area that he could afford on an actor’s income. He wound up buying a dilapidated fixerupper that had been foreclosed on, he says. Despite the house’s shabby appearance, Sommers says, he considered it a steal, since all its valuable parts — the plumbing, the pipes, the kitchen appliances — had yet to be stolen. In the eight years he’s lived in the neighborhood, as audiences will learn, Sommers has experienced plenty of ups and downs. His house was truly broken into several times in the first year; troubling things happened to his friends and neighbors; and, in recent years, West Oakland gentrified, rapidly and controversially. The show is deeply personal for Sommers. “Friends of mine who were [in past audiences] didn’t know some things about my life,” he admits. “My marriage, disappointment. My best friend, my dad and my grandparents are characters in the show.” Hick in the ’Hood can’t help but touch on complicated social issues — they’re embedded in the material — but the show is ultimately a fast-paced, character-driven comedy. The scenes are short, the dialogue is snappy, and Sommers frequently addresses the audience directly (there are also frequent harmonica interludes). The actor says he isn’t interested in drawing conclusions. He just wants to take audience members along for the ride and invite them to look at West Oakland through his eyes, from a “Vermont boy’s” perspective, before they judge a place or a group of people. Sommers says he’s looking forward to telling his tale for a hometown audience. “You always hear [Vermonters] ask, ‘Where do our kids go, and what do they do when they leave [the state]?’” he says. “Well, here’s a surprise! We do all sorts of things.” m
INFO
Hick in the Hood: A Vermont Boy in West Oakland by Michael Sommers. Friday and Saturday, March 21 and 22, 7:30 p.m., at Lost Nation Theater in Montpelier; Wednesday, March 26, 7:30 p.m., at Off Center for Dramatic Arts in Burlington; and Sunday, March 30, 2 p.m., at Town Hall Theater in Middlebury. Ticket prices vary by location.
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In Vermont Performances, New England Singers Call Up Ancient Sardinian Singing B y E tha n d e S e i fe
T
So, why have these American singers from the Northeast taken it upon themselves to learn not only this obscure singing style, but the Sardinian language of its traditional songs? Avery Book, the group’s bassu, says the reason has everything to do with the complex interplay of the music’s intense harmonies. “It’s a truly polyphonic music in which no one part can stand on its own; all the parts depend on each other,” he says. “It requires an intense level of engagement with the other singers.”
tenore songs in 2007, mostly at Paisley’s home in Massachusetts. Of crucial assistance was a “how to sing cantu a tenore” YouTube video that Paisley had tracked down. “That video pieced apart this really elusive ocean of sound,” Book says, “and gave us the starting point for being able to map out the structure of what was going on in the music.” As their love of the music grew — and as their Sardinian improved — the singers raised the funds to travel to the country in May 2013. Over just three weeks,
MUSIC
its members into minor celebrities on the island, where, Book says, locals have responded to them with a mix of amazement and appreciation. The group’s two upcoming Vermont concerts are part of its first tour since visiting Sardinia. Book says the singers are performing with renewed enthusiasm, calling Tenores de Aterúe a “transformed group.” “One thing I’m really excited about,” says Book, “is that now all the songs have people and stories behind them. We al-
It’s a truly polyphonic music in which no one part can stand on its own; all the parts depend on each other.
Courtesy of Omar Bandinu
Avery B o ok
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Tenores de Aterúe
ready had a thirst for learning as much as we could, but now we’re also thinking about the guy we were singing with at seven at night who had to wake up at four in the morning to herd his sheep … We have such vivid memories of and fond relationships with the singers that we met.” m
INFO
Tenores de Aterúe. Saturday, March 22, 7:30 p.m., at the Unitarian Church of Montpelier; and Sunday, March 23, 7:30 p.m., at the New City Galerie in Burlington. Both shows, $10-15. facebook.com/tenoresdeaterue
STATE OF THE ARTS 25
Book relates, “We learned more than in the five years before that.” In Sardinia, the group’s training was anything but formal. Rather, they visited small villages — each of which had its own local version of cantu a tenore — and, after plenty of cheeses, meats and “really good Sardinian wine,” they “swap[ped] songs” with local groups, Book says. They returned with a hugely expanded repertoire. Unexpectedly, a YouTube video of a Tenores de Aterúe performance has gone viral in Sardinia. That video, along with the group’s tour, has made
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Book, 32, is a musician and music educator who teaches singing in numerous workshops and schools; he belongs to the Starry Mountain Singers, an international folk group based partly in Vermont. Tenores de Aterúe (“Singers From Elsewhere” in Sardinian) gives Book and his compatriots (Doug Paisley, who sings the oche part; Carl Linich, contra; and Gideon Crevoshay, mesu oche) the opportunity to delve deep into one of the world’s great vocal traditions. The members of the group, who knew one another from previous musical projects, started performing cantu a
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he isolated Mediterranean island of Sardinia happens to be about the same geographic size as the state of Vermont, and its terrain, like Vermont’s, is rugged and mountainous. And that’s pretty much where the similarities end. But by tapping into Sardinia’s ancient polyphonic song tradition known as cantu a tenore, an American singing group with roots in Vermont represents a bridge between two cultures that have seldom been connected. That group, Tenores de Aterúe, will showcase the extraordinary vocal skills it refined on a recent trip to Sardinia in its upcoming performances in Burlington and Montpelier. Cantu a tenore is an a cappella vocal style in which each of a group’s four members sings in a specific tonal range. When singing, they often stand in a small, close-knit square, face to face, with arms around each other’s shoulders. Much of the music’s power derives from the tension between the intimacy of the setting and the power of the vocalizations. The singers’ physical arrangement onstage is not the most unusual element of this music. Cantu a tenore is a “throatsinging” tradition: Its singers use not only their vocal cords but their “false vocal folds” — membranes in the throat whose principal purpose is to keep food from entering the windpipe. Normally these play little or no role in speech or singing. With practice, though, singers can learn to use their false vocal folds to produce a low, droning tone that resonates at a pitch one octave below that being produced simultaneously by the vocal cords. This style of singing is perhaps best known to American audiences from the 1999 documentary Genghis Blues, about an American blues musician who learns the throat-singing tradition of Tuva, a region of Siberia. (The singers of some particularly angry-sounding metal bands also employ it.) The Sardinian throat-singing tradition is largely unknown in this country, though in 2008 the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated it as a tradition of “intangible cultural heritage.” Such honors are well and good, but it’s the music that matters most. The harmonic interplay between the four singers’ tones makes cantu a tenore especially pleasing to the ears.
Novel graphics from the Center for Cartoon Studies
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drawn+paneled
26 ART
Andy Warner’s comics have been published by Slate, Symbolia, KQED,
Popular Science, popsci.com, and American Public Media. He is a graduate of the Center for Cartoon Studies and currently resides in California. To see more of Andy’s work, visit andywarnercomics.com
Drawn & Paneled is a collaboration between Seven Da ys and the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, featuring works by past and present students. These pages are archived at sevendaysvt.com/center-for-cartoon-studies. For more info, visit CCS online at cartoonstudies.org.
THE STRAIGHT DOPE BY CECIL ADAMS
Dear Cecil,
N
concentration and willingness to trample everybody else. One guy famously said to have a touch of Asperger’s is Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, whose flat affect and general geekiness were caricatured in The Social Network. Other tech moguls supposedly displaying the signs include Craigslist founder Craig Newman, Bram Cohen of BitTorrent, and Microsoft’s Bill Gates. You may say: We should all be such mental cases. Just my point. If a so-called mental disorder is defined so broadly that any number of selfmade billionaires is believed to have it, the diagnosis is useless and needs to be rethought. Some background. Autism was once believed to be rare,
affecting no more than one in 2,000. There was no mistaking those who had it: They were severely withdrawn, incapable of normal conversation or interaction, and often exhibited oddball, sometimes violent behavior or fixations. Starting in the mid-20th century, though, some psychiatrists began defining autism more broadly to include children with serious psychosocial disorders but more or less normal language skills. This culminated in the inclusion of Asperger’s disorder in the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), published in 1994. In a rueful 2011 essay, Allen Frances, the psychiatry professor who chaired the DSM-IV task force, said he and his colleagues knew that once Asperger’s was declared an
official mental illness, diagnoses of autistic disorders would rise sharply — to one in 1,000, maybe even one in 500. Little did they know. ASD assessment is subjective, based on things such as lack of eye contact, hand flapping and poor language skills — there’s no physical test or scan. Clinicians began seeing ASDs everywhere. Today the Centers for Disease Control estimates about one in 88 people has an ASD. A South Korean study claims the rate in that country is one in 38, nearly 3 percent of the population. Whoa, said alarmed skeptics. The point of declaring something a disorder is to identify those who need help, not sort out future computerscience majors. They got the diagnostic criteria for Asperger’s syndrome and other ASDs tightened in DSM-5, published last year. It’s thought that 10 to 40 percent of those previously assessed with an ASD will no longer qualify. We’ll see how that works out, but a lot of damage has already been done. To cite an obvious case in point: With ASDs seemingly epidemic, people looked for something to blame. In 1998 a team led by British physician Andrew Wakefield published an article in the medical journal Lancet purporting to link
ASDs to the MMR (measlesmumps-rubella) vaccine. TV personality Jenny McCarthy made headlines for years claiming not only that her son’s autism was caused by vaccinations but that she’d successfully treated it with vitamins and diet. Wakefield’s article was ultimately discredited and retracted, but not before the MMR vaccination rate in the UK had dropped to 80 percent. Autism advocates and parents of kids with honest-toGod cases of the disorder may say: OK, maybe ASDs have been overdiagnosed. So what? There’s strength in numbers, and the publicity has certainly raised autism awareness. The answer to that is: Yes, but at the cost of obscuring the actual condition. On the one hand you’ve got people thinking Asperger’s syndrome is the mark of a future tech genius and thus nothing to worry about; on the other hand, if there actually were an environmental cause of autism, with so many false positives being reported, we’d never know. The biggest favor activists could do for the objects of their benevolence is to make people understand: Here are the signs you’ve got an autismspectrum disorder and, equally important, here are the signs you don’t.
INFO
Is there something you need to get straight? Cecil Adams can deliver the Straight Dope on any topic. Write Cecil Adams at the Chicago Reader, 11 E. Illinois, Chicago, IL 60611, or cecil@chireader.com. 03.19.14-03.26.14
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othing like a good rant, eh, Kathleen? But be careful. If you start going on obsessively about something long after everybody else has lost interest, someone’s going to diagnose you as autistic. More precisely, they may claim you have Asperger’s syndrome, one of the autismspectrum disorders (ASDs) you refer to. Those with the syndrome, named after Hans Asperger, the Austrian pediatrician who characterized it in 1944, focus obsessively and lack social skills or empathy. At the same time — and here we see why this condition has become fashionable — often they also have above-average intelligence and become wildly successful due to their powers of
CARAMAN
Autism has gone from being a mental disorder to an absolute fad. NASCAR has run races named after it. It has its own “spectrum” for differential diagnosis. Movie stars and athletes brag about their children’s autism. People with some condition in the “spectrum” write books bragging on themselves. It even has its celebrity cranks and medical quackery. When did autism get promoted from an unhappy malfunction of the brain to something special? Or is it, like the pink stuff for breast cancer, simply a result of aggressive and successful marketing? Does any of that marketing do anything for the people with autism and their families? Or, for that matter, further research into the condition with an eye to curing or at least improving it? Your retired reference-librarian fan, Kathleen, aka Bookworm
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was quite the hippie hangout back in the day. Before they got famous, the guys from Aerosmith used to spend time in his store.” “What’s Aerosmith?” Elena asked, wide-eyed. “Are you kidding me? You actually don’t—” “Got you,” she said, laughing. “Boy, that was easy.” “Well, I am easy,” I said, laughing along. With rush hour closing in, Taft Corners was tangled in traffic. Combine that with the few inches of still-falling fresh snow, and I wasn’t surprised to find that my highway prediction was spot-on. Swinging onto the interstate, I saw most everyone was sticking to the right lane and driving at half the normal speed. I fell right in line. I said, “So I guess both your folks are Russian émigrés, but were you born here or in Russia?” “My brother and I were both born in America. I’m a Jersey girl, God help me.” “Hey, Jersey rocks. Do you have any postgraduation plans, or are you just going to chill for a while?” I’m usually hesitant to pose that question to college seniors. The pressure on them can be intense, and if they don’t have anything lined up, asking about the future only adds to the squeeze they might be feeling. But Elena struck me as really together; my intuition told me that she would likely have solid plans.
It’s a typIcal RussIan tRIbe —
I have endless aunts and uncles and cousIns.
“I have a job I’m starting at J.P. Morgan in New York this summer. It’s somewhat entry level, but I’m not complaining. It’s a foot in the door. I actually told the person who interviewed me that the position wasn’t, like, my ultimate goal, but I would be happy to start small. I repeated this to my father, and he thought that was a terrible answer to give, and was sure I wouldn’t get the offer. Boy, was he happy to be proven wrong! Oh, my God — I’m such a daddy’s girl, and that will probably never change.” “Hey, being close to your pops is a great thing. I’m sure it has its drawbacks, too, but having parents who care and are not afraid to show it is a real boost in life.” “Yeah, I’m blessed to be close with my whole family, actually. It’s a typical Russian tribe — I have endless aunts and uncles and cousins.” “So what’s, like, your relationship status, if I may ask? Are you contending with a college romance? That can get dicey with graduation looming.” “I actually have a serious boyfriend who lives in New York. I met him at a bar — how cliché is that? It was when I was there interning at J.P. Morgan this past summer.” “What does he do?” I asked. “Is he a finance person as well?” “No, he graduated medical school and took a residency in a hospital in Queens. It’s actually great that he’s not in business, because I’m, like, ultracompetitive, and that would be a big strain in the relationship if we were in the same field.” Finally, we made it off the highway and turned north on Route 100 toward Stowe. The going continued to be slow, but the company was enlivening. Elena was a
hackie is a twice-monthly column that can also be read on sevendaysvt.com. to reach jernigan pontiac, email hackie@sevendaysvt.com.
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chipper person and optimistic about the future. That’s heartening to experience in a young person and, sadly, less common than it used to be. Coming out of a lull in the conversation, Elena groaned and said, “I think my cousin Victor came up this weekend, too. That’s always a challenge for me, dealing with him.” “Really?” I said. “What is it about Victor that pushes your buttons?” “Oh, that’s exactly it. Dude pushes my buttons big time. You’re having a normal conversation, and he just starts spewing this false information. I mean, things that I simply know for a fact to be inaccurate. So I’m all, like, ‘Victor, you’re wrong about that,’ and he tells me I’m wrong, and then we’re, like, off and running. He’s older than me, and we’ve been going at it like this since I was about 5.” “It sounds like he gets off on getting you going,” I said. “You know what? Don’t give him the pleasure. Being right is not all it’s cracked up to be, anyway. Sometimes it can be just a huge waste of time and energy.” “I know, I know. I actually tell myself that, but then I see him and he hooks me every time! I just can’t bear to see him go unchallenged.” “Yeah, you told me: super competitive.” Elena laughed. “Yes, sir — that’s me.” “Maybe stick to the skiing this weekend.” “Maybe Victor and I can race?” “Perfect,” I said, chuckling. “You and Vic can settle the thing once and for all.” m
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ow long do you think this ride will take?” It was snowing, lightly but steadily, as it had been for more than an hour. Elena Gavrikov, my customer, was speaking to me from the shotgun seat of my taxi. We were bound for Stowe Mountain Lodge, the grand new resort toward the top of Mountain Road. Her extended family had arrived the previous day, and I had transported, I believe, her parents and younger brother. Elena had arrived at the airport terminal via the Greyhound bus out of Boston. “Well, here’s the thing,” I replied. “Normally, absent snow or ice conditions, the ride is about an hour. But I’m afraid we got to double that estimate today. The highway will probably be a mess, and I doubt we’ll be going more than 30, 40 miles an hour.” “No worries,” she said. “I am on vacation. This is my last semester at BU.” This girl was a pint-size beauty, with long, black hair and round, dark eyes. Having met her mother, I could see where Elena got her good looks. “Boston University, huh? In the early ’70s, my older brother owned a used rgaritafurniture store on the corner of Harv and Comm Ave. It was called Zeke’s, named to: after the monkey that lived in a cage in the basement. He was always buying and selling stuff to the BU students. I mean my brother, not Zeke the monkey. Anyway, it
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benefit … They don’t have a leg to stand on. It’s hurtful to all of us.” Ernst and Supeno’s lawyer, David Bond, filed the suit on March 5 in Addison Superior Court. It alleges that town officials, under the leadership of selectboard chair Jeff Kauffman, have repeatedly made discriminatory zoning decisions and retaliated against the women for a discrimination complaint they filed four years ago with the Vermont Human Rights Commission. The Barbaras argue that the town unfairly increased the valuation of their property and routinely failed to inform them about zoning and development hearings that affected them. The couple declined to be interviewed for this article, designating their attorney as a spokesman. While town officials insist on “strict enforcement” against minor or imagined infractions by his clients, Bond said, “The town allows antigay neighbors to do whatever they want.” That includes tolerating graffiti messages on municipal property. According to the suit, the town took two years to remove the words “I Heart Fags” after someone spraypainted them on the ground outside the town offices around March 1, 2012. The lawsuit seeks unspecified financial damages and targets the Town of Addison, Kauffman and his wife, Carol and neighbors John and Linda Carrigan. The suit accuses the Kauffmans and Carrigans of defamation, invasion of privacy and interference with prospective business relations. Specifically, the complaint cites Carol Kauffman for circulating an anonymous, defamatory letter to town officials and some residents, an allegation she denies. In addition, it takes aim at her husband, who is also founder-pastor of the Hope Community Fellowship, which the legal complaint describes as an “ultraconservative” Baptist church. It argues that Kauffman and other town officials hold antihomosexual views based on DAVID BO ND fundamentalist Christian beliefs. This bias, the suit alleges, “has motivated a number of decisions by the Town that were calculated to force Ms. Ernst and Ms. Supeno to move away.” “I don’t mind telling you that it used to be a great place to go,” said Richard Myers, who resides on Fisher Point Road in the summer with his wife, whose family started vacationing there in 1939. They spend winters in Florida. Their camp is one of many lakefront properties in the neighborhood that abuts Ernst and Supeno’s property line. “Now, we almost dread going back,” Myers said. “There’s always some kind of a crisis.” But homophobia has nothing
hen a lesbian couple in a rural Addison County town filed a lawsuit earlier this month accusing the town’s selectboard chair, his wife and two neighbors of discriminating against them because of their sexual orientation, the media pounced. And no wonder. Legal proceedings initiated by Barbara Ernst and Barbara Supeno allege all manner of unfair treatment since the couple moved to their lakefront home in the town of Addison a decade ago. “The neighbors shouted offensive language and made rude gestures, accompanied by threats of physical harm, and acts of trespass and intimidation,” the suit reads. They allege that their harassers left dead animals on the property, including “decapitated bunnies.” Addison’s town files overflow with similar complaints from the two women known commonly as “the Barbaras.” But spend some time in this small town on the edge of Lake Champlain, and you’ll hear another side of this story. According to town officials and residents, what Ernst and Supeno call discrimination and bias is no more than the cumulative effect of long-standing conflicts in a small lakefront neighborhood on Fisher Point Road. They say the couple’s displeasure with the outcomes of such disputes account for unfounded allegations. “Absolute nonsense” is how Frank Galgano, who chairs Addison’s planning commission, characterized the couple’s claims. “I don’t see any gender bias,” he said. “They keep playing that particular card, because they feel it’s to their particular TIM NEWCOMB
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A TOWN
I cannot stress enough how much courage and bravery it has taken for the Barbaras to stand up to the discrimination, harassment and intimidation that certain town officials have perpetrated against them.
Will a lesbian couple’s Addison lawsuit prove harassment or sour grapes? B Y K AT HRY N F L A G G
to do with it, according to Myers and other neighbors. Instead, they say, it’s an accumulation of ill will between adjoining property owners of different classes and backgrounds: bickering over fences, rights of way and trespassing, as well as bitter fights about individual efforts to improve or expand properties. Myers said he and his wife have steered clear of the drama, but he was appalled at recent news reports. “I as an individual and everybody else down there has just been pegged as a den of bigots” — a characterization he said is simply not true. Supeno and Ernst “cause a lot of angst in our community,” said David Cole, who sits on the planning commission and design review board and insisted the allegations about discriminatory decisions aren’t true. “We make our decisions on the law, and on our zoning ordinances.” Like most town officials, he seems outright bewildered by the charges. Selectboard members first learned about the lawsuit when a Channel 5 news crew showed up, camera in tow, at their monthly meeting the day after Town Meeting Day. The media had been tipped off by RU12?, a Burlington-based community center for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals that has been publicizing the plight of Ernst and Supeno. National news outlets, such as Huffington Post and Advocate.com, have since covered the suit, but without talking to others in Addison or digging into a complicated and at times bizarre backstory. Most of the individuals named in the couple’s legal complaint — including Jeff Kauffman and the Carrigans — declined to speak with Seven Days for this story because of the ongoing litigation. Other sources cooperated on condition of anonymity, because they said they feared the Barbaras would retaliate against them. But many townspeople did agree to speak on the record. And town, police and court records contain many details about the current dispute and ones that preceded it.
Water Fight Ernst and Supeno moved to Addison in 2004. They paid $459,000 for their home at 330 Fisher Point Road, a private road that turns off Route 17 directly across from a large dairy farm. Their eight-and-a-half-acre property has 52 feet of lake frontage. The property touches 21 others, including a dozen lakeside, “undersized and grandfathered house lots,” as the lawsuit describes them. Wooden, hand-lettered signs identify the owners of the small homes and seasonal camps in the neighborhood — but there’s no sign for Ernst or Supeno. At least three security cameras, mounted on corners of the couple’s home, are aimed at the surrounding neighborhood. Addison stretches from the base of Snake Mountain to the shores of Lake Champlain, and the wide, largely flat expanses in between support several dairy operations. But at the western edge, farms give way to lakeside settlements and recreational hubs, including the Champlain Bridge Marina and the DAR State Park. The properties along the lake range from humble camps, many of which
SCAN THIS PAGE WITH THE LAYAR APP OR VISIT SEVENDAYSVT.COM TO READ THE FULL TEXT OF THE LAWSUIT AND THE ALLEGED DEFAMATORY LETTER, INCLUDED AS AN EXHIBIT. SEE PAGE 9
I don’t see any gender bias. They keep playing that particular card, because they feel it’s to their particular benefit … It’s hurtful to all of us.
YOUR TEXT HERE
YOUR TEXT HERE
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for the property and, last September, the court upheld the town’s decisions. Ernst and Supeno have appealed the decision to the Vermont Supreme Court. Myers said he and his wife stayed out of the fray for years. But last year, they testified on behalf of the Carrigans — their next-door neighbors — in the environmental court proceedings. Myers has come to regret that decision. Ernst and Supeno have since put up a new split-rail fence on their property line that runs directly in front of the Myers camp. Through their lawyer, Ernst and Supeno said they left a 25-foot gap in the fence to allow Myers and his wife access to their land, consistent with their easement rights, but Myers said they’ve blocked off the spot the family has used for decades to get into their camp. “The only reason why I can think of is we had the audacity to speak up for the Carrigans,” said Myers, noting the couple asked him to do so. The Myers have already spent $700 talking to a lawyer about how to get a section of the fence removed. Myers isn’t named in the Barbaras’ lawsuit, but, through their lawyer, they claim he’s a member of the “antigay hate group” with which they have contended for years. Myers recalled sitting down in his living room with Ernst at one point several years ago. To her complaints about antigay neighbors, he remembers telling her, “I don’t care what you are — it doesn’t bother me,” Myers
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have been in families for generations, to larger lakefront retirement or vacation homes that have been insulated and turned into year-round residences. “Where the Barbaras live, the houses are close together, and there’s people that have lived there for a long time,” said Rob Hunt, who sits on Addison’s school board and selectboard. He describes a scenic spot prone to culture clashes. SCAN THIS PAGE “There is a faction that believes WITH LAYAR that because they’ve lived there the longest, they don’t have to follow SEE PROGRAM COVER any rules,” he said. And also “the wealthy ones, that believe that because they’re wealthy, the rules don’t apply to them.” Galgano said that making planning and zoning decisions in this part of town — where properties are small, lots are often nonconforming, and old structures don’t meet the current best practices of building and zoning — can be a headache. Residents often have to apply for FRANK GALGA NO conditional use permits or variances to proceed with home improvement or construction projects. “As I’ve told my committee very many times, there’s properly warned about — and therefore not able to literally nothing that we can do that is going to be accept- participate in — the hearing process. That same year, the town OK’d a plan from neighable to each and every individual within the town,” said Galgano. “It’s a very difficult game all the time, and we can bors Greg and Joanne Swierz to expand their camp only make rules and regulations that we hope are in the by adding a deck and a second story. Ernst and Supeno challenged the town’s decision in state environmental general interest and the public interest.” “I would not want to live there,” said Hunt of the court, where records show a judge denied Ernst and lakefront neighborhood. “Everybody gets into everybody Supeno’s motion for a summary judgment on the case. That means it could have moved on to a trial. else’s business.” The Swierzes settled the dispute by selling their Sure enough, that’s played out over the years in selectproperty to Supeno, according to the Barbaras’ lawsuit. board meetings, development review board proceedings and in the courts, not to mention in the backyards of Supeno, along with her brother, purchased the property for $320,000 and, using the Swierzes’ previously issued neighbors on Fisher Point Road. Not long after moving to town, the Barbaras started permits, began construction on a home for Supeno’s mother. butting heads with their neighbors. Supeno and Ernst allege in their lawsuit that the In 2004, the lawsuit alleges, neighbors Roger and Mary Sleeper moved five trailers onto a half-acre lot adjacent to town attempted to revoke those permits, and that Jeff Ernst and Supeno’s property. The women complained to Kaufmann — serving at the time as Addison’s zoning adthe town, which resulted in the removal of the trailers that ministrator — “tried to shut down the project for imagined were encroaching on their land. But the town granted the infractions of the building code.” Supeno and her brother Sleepers a permit to leave the remaining trailers where were forced to hire an attorney, the suit continues, to they were. Ernst and Supeno appealed the decision, and obtain their certificate of occupancy. Today the second home — with large windows and contend in their new suit that the town refused to rescind the permit and denied them an opportunity to participate vaulted ceilings — is assessed at $402,200, according in the hearing process. Today there are two trailers on the to town records, and is listed on the vacation rental site Home Away for $200 a night. property, occupied by Roger and Mary Sleeper. Ernst and Supeno also went to environmental court Ernst and Supeno again went to the town in 2007 after officials granted adjoining landowners Robert and Lori to fight home improvements on the property of John Woods a variance to rebuild an existing camp and add a and Linda Carrigan, the neighbors they are suing for second floor. Their lawsuit contends that the permit was defamation in their current lawsuit. The Carrigans live issued in disregard of the town’s existing zoning regula- in Chittenden County and use the Addison camp as a tions and, just like three years before, the couple was not seasonal home. The women appealed a conditional use permit and two certificates of occupancy the town issued
Two Against a Town « P.31 said. When she asked Myers and his wife where they “stood” in the dispute between neighbors, Myers said he didn’t stand with anyone; all he wanted was to come down and enjoy the lake.
Good Fences Make Poor Neighbors The split-rail fence isn’t the first barrier the Barbaras have erected in their Vermont neighborhood. In 2008, Ernst and Supeno put up a 5-foot-11-inch privacy fence between their property and a home owned by Jack and Louisa Anderson; it was one inch shy of the six-foot cut-off that would have required a zoning permit. The new lawsuit explains that the fence went up “due to the repeated threats and acts of intimidation by one of their neighbors.”
on both sides of this strange standoff, including some on-the-record letters Addison residents have sent town officials impugning the Barbaras. But nothing compares to the anonymous letter circulated in April 2011 that is an exhibit in the current lawsuit. Supeno and Ernst claim that the handwriting on the envelope suggests it came from Carol Kauffman, the selectboard chair’s wife. Plus, it contained information that Ernst and Supeno say they provided in a confidential mediation with Jeff Kauffman. Styled as “Addison Wikileaks,” and titled “The TRUTH about the Barbaras,” the letter is a hodgepodge of accusations and public records. It includes documentation of Ernst’s bankruptcy filing in Rutland, a failed worker’s compensation suit Supeno filed in Massachusetts, and small-claims cases filed against both women in the
current dispute and, in his view, don’t establish a pattern of poor relationships with neighbors. In Addison, he said, his clients have been harassed and abused simply for speaking up when abutting neighbors tried to expand their camps or winterize homes — moves that would have hurt their property values and, they argue, the health of Lake Champlain. “What came first, the chicken or the egg?” he asked. “Was it that they opposed the neighbors’ attempts to expand their property? Or did the neighbors harbor the antigay bias from the beginning? I don’t know,” said Bond. “I can say for sure that a lot of what they were doing was really just exercising their rights under the zoning ordinances and getting payback — and that payback manifested itself in really ugly ways.”
Washington and Addison civil divisions of Vermont courts. In their lawsuit, the two women say the “TRUTH” amounts to “false and scurrilous allegations.” The letter paints Ernst and Supeno as devious and dishonest, and claims they use “harassment as a crutch whenever confronted in their demonical schemes”: “In short they are accomplished con artists, who since coming to Addison, to what they think is the land of ‘Country Bumpkins,’ are now out to fleece the willing lambs of this perceived naive and gullible community ... On individual meetings they appear so gracious and nice; but beware they are gathering data and will use [sic] against you later.” In fact, Addison isn’t the first town where things have turned combative for Ernst and Supeno. In 2004, neighbors of the women in Stow, Massachusetts, called police three times for assistance because, they alleged, one of the Barbaras was either trespassing or causing a disturbance on their property. Police reports show that in one case, the neighbor said Supeno struck him, breaking his glasses; she said the assault happened the other way around, when the man allegedly threw her to the ground. According to the police report, Supeno later called the police station repeatedly, including on the 911 emergency line, demanding to speak with the officers who’d responded to the call and with the chief of police. Eventually Stow’s police chief told his officers to warn Supeno that she’d be charged with making harassing phone calls if she didn’t stop. Bond said the Stow incidents aren’t relevant to the
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Barbara Supeno and Barbara Ernst
Neighbors flocked to the selectboard and complained, according to the meeting’s minutes, about “how the fence was installed so as to obstruct the Andersons’ view of the lake.” Kauffman told the neighbors that the matter was in the hands of the zoning administrator, Richard Pratt, who would have to determine whether a violation had occurred. At subsequent meetings, neighbors again asked about the “fence issue.” Supeno and Ernst say they weren’t notified that their property was up for discussion at these meetings, and they weren’t present at these deliberations. In their lawsuit they argue that the town incorrectly cited them for a zoning violation “without even attempting to measure the fence.” Still on the fence front: In January 2009, Ernst and Supeno sent a certified letter to the town objecting to zoning changes proposed by their neighbor, Roger Sleeper, who had suggested easing rules governing fences, setbacks and structures on nonconforming lots in a series of selectboard and planning meetings. The couple’s letter said that the changes would “drastically negatively impact property values for all property owners in Addison.” They also wrote that the proposals were “related to an extension and continuation of the hate crimes, harassment and discrimination of us … based on our sexual orientation.” Their letter continued: “These threats have been continual for almost four years since we moved into our home in October 2004. These threats include attempted assaults against us with vehicles, running us off our own property and our own road with vehicles, physical, personal and verbal threats of violence against us, killing our bunnies and throwing the heads and bodies into our sealed boat, hateful and threatening verbal threats specifically against us because of our sexual orientation, harassment of us with direct and indirect support from others.” There have been strong words and personal attacks
Kim Fountain of RU12? — the Burlington nonprofit that has taken the side of Ernst and Supeno — describes them as “two wonderful human beings.” Ernst, a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit at Fletcher Allen Health Care, is “just really caring — very calm,” Fountain said. “She’s not reactionary.” Supeno, Fountain continued, is the livelier of the pair, but is also levelheaded and a great cataloguer of information. Fountain mentioned that the couple is devoted to environmental causes. That devotion to the environment is one of the reasons the women, speaking through their lawyer, cite for moving to Vermont. They were active in the fight to stop a tire burn at International Paper in Ticonderoga, N.Y., and they cofounded the Northeast Clean Air Coalition and Northeast Association of Natural Lake Restoration. Supeno and Ernst were also involved in environmental battles before moving to Vermont. As previous residents on Lake Boon — in Stow — they fought the use of herbicides to treat invasive weeds in the lake, say neighbors and a 2003 news report. The Lake Boon Association website says that even though applications of the herbicide were well within federally permitted limits, the town of Stow’s selectmen decided to halt the treatments “due to a single threat of legal action by two individuals (who will go unnamed upon legal advice).” Fountain knew both women through RU12? before they brought their current lawsuit. She calls their allegations “shocking,” particularly in light of the “wonderful
Styled as “Addison Wikileaks,” and titled “The TRUTH about the Barbaras,” the letter is a hodgepodge of accusations and public records.
reputation that Vermont has for LGBTQ folks.” When she worked in Brooklyn doing antiviolence work in the gay community, Fountain said, she and other activists would “look to Vermont as a sort of oasis.” The Ernst and Supeno complaint should remind Vermonters that “it’s not like one region of the country has a leg up on the other in terms of who gets to call themselves more progressive or a safer place to be,” said Fountain. “Like any other place in the country, on the individual levels, we still get experiences of violence.” What’s more, Fountain said, being a “whistleblower” about violence or discrimination, particularly in small communities, is a cross to bear. “Every place they go, people are going to know who they are,” said Fountain. “That’s what it is to live in a rural place. You can’t escape it.”
Graffiti on municipal property
never heard him even refer to God at a selectboard meeting, or anything religious.” In fact, several officials in town said that they knew and worked with Jeff Kauffman for years before learning he served as a minister. There are some clues, said Hunt, but they’re not necessarily obvious. “He never swears, and he’s a fantastic public speaker,” he said. “Preachers are.” Selectwoman Joy Pouliot called Jeff Kauffman an “asset” to the town of Addison, and described him as the kind of person who would give someone else the shirt off his back. “He’s been a pleasure to work with on the board,” she said. Even Hunt, who tangled with Jeff and Carol Kauffman a few years ago when the Kauffmans repeatedly discussed school issues at selectboard meetings, said his read of the
Supeno and Ernst’s second home
chairman and the recent allegations just don’t match up. “At this point, I can’t say that I can think of anything that Jeff has done that was illegal, immoral or offensive,” said Hunt. Bond said he has plenty of evidence that refutes that — although no “on-the-record statements” that the town is “doing this because they are gay,” he said of his clients. “In discrimination cases, you’re always left to rely on circumstantial evidence coupled with evidence of intent — and we have plenty of that as well.”
A Drawn-Out Battle
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Contact: kathryn@sevendaysvt.com
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later after an investigator interviewed many in town. In their current lawsuit, Supeno and Ernst call it a “toothless inquiry” conducted by someone who shared “the antigay bias of many in the Town.” In an email about the investigation sent to Jeff Kauffman on March 4, 2011, the town’s attorney, William Ellis, said Vermont HRC intake specialist Paul Erlbaum “indicated some regret in not issuing a report, and acknowledged that there was a certain measure of unfairness to the Town having to have gone through the process without some findings.” Ellis continued: “After completing 16 interviews, Mr. Erlbaum concluded that there was no basis for the Barbs to prevail on their claim that the Town discriminated against them on the basis of sexual orientation. At worst, the Town demonstrated ‘flakiness,’ to use his word, in not providing the required notices of some hearings and in Richard Pratt issuing a notice of violation without ever looking at or measuring the fence … There was no evidence of malice against the Barbs, and even if there was, based upon the reputation testimony he elicited, it was likely because of their litigious nature or the fact that they are ‘flatlanders,’ not because of their sexual orientation.” Three years later, will another inquiry find evidence of discrimination? No way, say town officials and the couple’s neighbors. Galgano remarked, “I just can’t impress upon you enough how absolutely and utterly ridiculous this whole thing is.” “Well, of course they’ll say that,” responded Bond. But when you look at the evidence, he contended, “the only reasonable inference is that there is a bias against” Ernst and Supeno. Ultimately, the courts will decide, but Bond estimates it might take as long as two years before the INFO case goes to trial. m
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The sheriff served the Town of Addison on March 11 — six days after officials learned from a Channel 5 news crew that it was being sued. Town Clerk Marilla Webb couldn’t comment on the case last Friday morning, but it was clear that the lawsuit had residents talking. Within just a few moments of one another, two popped into Webb’s office asking if the town had been served. “Must make for interesting reading,” one said to the town clerk. Not for Jeff Kauffman’s wife, Carol Kauffman, who spoke briefly with a Seven Days reporter several times over four days. She said the claims about her in the suit — that she wrote and disseminated a “defamatory” anonymous letter about the couple; that she mailed a letter to Middlebury attorney Willem Jewett falsely purporting to be from Ernst and Supeno; and that she tailgated and tried to run Ernst off the road — just aren’t true. In a brief conversation at the couple’s home last week, Carol Kauffman also objected to the characterization of her and her husband as religious bigots. Yes, they believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible, she said, but went on to say that book calls followers to practice love, and that she wanted to “agree to disagree” on matters of sexual practice such as homosexuality. She expressed contempt for groups
Richard and Kris Myers’ camp
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Galgano has gleaned a different lesson from small-town life. “You can’t turn to the town every time you’re unhappy with a problem with you and your abutting neighbor,” said the Addison planning chair. Town and court records suggest Fisher Point Road neighbors on both sides of the issue have done just that. But suing the town is taking it to a whole new level, and Ernst and Supeno are naming names. The lawsuit accuses Jeff Kauffman of “unreservedly express[ing] his hatred for gays and lesbians” in private conversations. Until recently, the suit alleges, the website for Kauffman’s church, Hope Community Fellowship, had links to several faith-based antigay websites that labeled gay individuals as “dogs” and “fornicators.” Hunt concedes that homophobia can exist anywhere, and it’s possible that Supeno and Ernst have experienced instances of aggression or harassment in Addison. But he said he’s seen no evidence of it from Jeff Kauffman or other town officials. Take that “I Heart Fags” graffiti, for example. As Hunt remembers it, people first noticed the white, spray-painted slur on a Monday, after the weekend. In deciding how to deal with it, the road commissioner reported that he didn’t have a way of scouring away the paint, so he added an “L” between two letters, turning “fags” into “flags.” “It said, ‘I Heart Fags’ for a matter of days, not any longer,” said Hunt. “It wasn’t like the town ignored it.” Ernst and Supeno have alleged in other media that the town removed it only after learning of the lawsuit. Hunt says it wore off and is no longer visible. “We have our share of rednecks,” said Hunt, a dairy farmer. “Four-wheel-drive pickup trucks with a stack. But the people that do civil service, they don’t tend to be those people.” “I think that most of us here have the ‘live and let live’ attitude,” said Hunt. “I know the Barbaras are going to be mad at me because I can’t say that Jeff is a homophobe. I’ve
such as the Westboro Baptist Church, whose followers are known to wield protest signs bearing messages such as “God Hates Fags.” The Kauffmans live at the base of Snake Mountain, as far away from the Barbaras as you can be and still reside in Addison. Six muddy-pawed golden retriever puppies careened across the yard to greet a reporter. “My goal is that after this is over,” said Carol Kauffman, pausing as her voice broke and she took a deep breath, “that we’re going to have healing here.” Kauffman hopes that the results of a 2010 Human Rights Commission investigation will come to light as a result of the new lawsuit. Supeno and Ernst filed a complaint alleging discrimination in 2010, but withdrew it several months
Making Connections A new Queen City resident weighs her internet options B y Al ici a Fr eese
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John Carvajal
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partment hunting is hell in Burlington, I’ve heard. But for me it was mercifully easy: A few weeks into my search, a coworker tipped me off about an affordable condo with an expansive view of the lake. Choosing an internet service provider turned out to be the tortuous part. Before I go on, let me get this off my chest: I didn’t choose Burlington Telecom (BT). I stuck with out-of-state-based FairPoint Communications for the same reason I don’t buy fair-trade chocolate: I’m 26, and I feel entitled to be cheap. I could have stomached BT’s $65 installation fee, but the idea of paying $5 every month for a modem irked me. Keep it for five years, and that’s $300 — for a plastic box. I do feel guilty for turning the cold shoulder to the little local company. BT, on top of having to compete for customers with the telecom titans, must also contend with the aftereffects of its troubled past. It was revenue starved and on the brink of financial collapse when the Bob Kiss administration improperly diverted nearly $17 million of taxpayer money to keep it afloat. Citibank subsequently sued the city for failing to repay $33.5 million in loans used to build the network. The recent settlement between the City of Burlington and Citibank removes the threat that the latter will uproot the entire fiber-optic network, but BT’s future remains uncertain. Mayor Miro Weinberger has said the city intends to sell the company, but who knows who will buy it? And it remains to be seen whether a local company can survive in a monopoly-prone industry where Comcast is king. I began my search by polling friends and coworkers about their provider preferences. Other than a few people who recommended BT “because it’s local,” no one seemed to have strong feelings. Googling “best internet provider in Burlington” wasn’t much help. The top search result was a University of Vermont student guide that listed several other companies, including Sovernet Communications and Green Mountain Access — but it was seven years old. How could I trust a site that directed students to a Wikipedia article on dial-up access? After the fact, I made a phone call to Vermont’s public service department and learned that there are 36 broadband providers in the state, six of which service my address in Burlington. In addition to BT, FairPoint and Comcast, I apparently could
Nongthombam himself was exceedingly pleasant. He was reasonable, too, when I pointed out how deceptive Comcast’s pricing structure was — the only affordable deals get twice as expensive one year in. Our exchange went like this: Me: Thanks for your help. I’m not interested at this time because currently I pay $38.99 for seven megabytes per second with FairPoint, which seems to me like a better deal. Nongthombam: I understand you; however, I am offering you the performance packages at $29.99 a month for the first 12 months with 25 megabytes. Me: I know, and I appreciate that, but then it leaps to $66.95! Nongthombam: Yes, I see that.
have chosen from Sovernet, AT&T, Sprint and Verizon Wireless. Broadbandvt. org, a website developed by the state, the University of Vermont and several other entities, gives consumers a list of providers based on the census area where they live. But a month ago, I was letting word of mouth guide me, and I assumed there were only three. I knew Comcast hadn’t fallen by the wayside, so I started there. I’ve heard stories about Comcast papering neighborhoods with fliers and going door to door to lure customers away from BT. But for a company that so aggressively peddles its wares, it offered an infuriatingly opaque website.
I wanted fast internet — no cable, no phone — at the cheapest price possible, but comparing rates online proved impossible. That’s because neither Comcast nor FairPoint publishes prices on its website. And both have coverage maps too simplistic to be of much use. Here they are, gatekeepers to the internet — a creation premised on the open exchange of information — and they both have content-free websites. Instead, for information about rates, Comcast directed me to its online chat room, where an “analyst” named Nongthombam immediately tried to sign me up for an $80-per-month package. He had a weaselly role to play, but
I haven’t chatted online with a stranger since middle school, and, as mundane as our conversation was, it evoked the same giddiness I felt then. But when it became clear I wasn’t interested in what Nongthombam was selling, he exited the chat room promptly, leaving me staring at the sentence I’d started typing (“Where do you live?”) and feeling pathetic. To its credit, BT does publish its rates online. It even lists all the additional charges you might have to pay, although I still had to call to ask what the “Snowbird” fee is. (It’s a $15-a-month charge that people who leave Burlington during the winter pay, instead of terminating their service and then paying another installation fee when they sign up again.) BT’s cheapest deal is $39 per month, which lets you download and upload at a speed of five mbps. Because the company uses a fiber-optic network, that speed is guaranteed. Other high-speed services are more fickle: FairPoint uses DSL, and the speed depends on how far you are from the provider’s central office. Comcast uses its cable connection, which can get bogged down when too many people are signed on. At my old apartment in Montpelier, FairPoint charged me $38.99 a month for a download speed of “up to seven” megabytes per second. The upload speed was a paltry 768 kilobytes per second, but I never had a problem with it. When I called, a FairPoint rep said the company would transfer my service without any additional charges — no installation fee, no monthly modem fee. It seemed liked the simplest route at the time.
OPENING IN MAY techNoloGy The sunsets over Lake Champlain are stunning from my new apartment; I watched my first one while on the phone with a FairPoint customer-service rep, turning my modem on and off, glancing back and forth between the blinking green light — a bad sign — and the receding sun. No luck. But the next day, I got the call I had been waiting for: Dan, a FairPoint technician, was on his way to help. Except he had instructions to help “Marla on College Street.” I ’fessed up to not being Marla and tried to sweet-talk him into coming to my condo instead. Dan declined — policy prohibited it — but he was perplexed by the mix-up and said he’d get to the bottom of it.
When it became clear i Wasn’t interested in What nongthombam Was selling,
We’re here when you need us.
CVMC ExpressCARE
he exited the chat room promptly.
CVMC ExpressCare
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True to his word, Dan called back a few hours later. Marla, it turned out, was vacationing in California and probably couldn’t care less whether her internet was working. Dan had unearthed my ticket from the office basement (don’t ask; I didn’t), but he would still have to go through the central office to get permission to help me. A day later, Dan showed up and fixed the phone line — for now. I’m fuzzy on the particulars, but the line’s days are apparently numbered. I had to wade through FairPoint’s Terms of Service agreement to determine that I’m on the hook if it stops working. Had I opted for BT, cutting-edge, hairthin cable made of pure glass would have delivered internet to my door. As nice as Dan was, I wouldn’t have had to wait for someone in North Carolina to authorize his visit. Stinginess steered me away from BT, though, and now I’m locked into another contract with FairPoint, entrusting my internet connection to a frayed telephone line. When the contract expires next March, I’ll be one year older — perhaps a little less miserly and ready, at last, to go local. m
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Vermont Gothic
Book reviews: The Winter People, Jennifer McMahon; The Lord Came at Twilight, Daniel Mills B y Ma r g ot H arr i s o n
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hat’s spooky about Vermont? Not much, if you focus on the state’s wholesome, farm-fresh public image. But when you explore its darker, more desolate byways, a different picture emerges. A visit to the “wild domed hills of Vermont” gave horror legend H.P. Lovecraft his setting for “The Whisperer in Darkness.” In the inimitably creepy tale, published in 1931, Lovecraft describes the state as “a region where old, strange things have had a chance to grow and linger because they have never been stirred up.” In more recent years, Joe Citro’s collections of local lore have inspired eerie short films and tours of purportedly haunted landmarks. This spring sees the release of two books from local authors that contribute admirably to the “Vermont gothic” tradition. Montpelier’s Jennifer McMahon has published a slew of suspense novels with a gothic bent, but her latest, The Winter People, is a full-on ghost story. Hinesburg writer Daniel Mills, a 2007 University of Vermont grad, has made a name for himself among enthusiasts of Lovecraftian horror with his short fiction and 2011 novel Revenants: A Dream of New England. Now California’s Dark Renaissance Books has published a collection of his stories called The Lord Came at Twilight. The book is currently available in limited hardcover and deluxe editions; a trade paperback is forthcoming. Both Mills and McMahon use Vermont as a primary setting — to very different effect. We stayed up late by the fireside to savor the shivers from their weird tales.
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ranted, “weird” may be the wrong word to describe McMahon’s fiction. Her novels tend to over-rely on familiar tropes: abducted children, fairy tales turned dark, psychos on the loose, sinister wise women. The Winter People takes place in a rugged, rural area that has seen several mysterious disappearances over a half century. “The West Hall Triangle, people called it. There was talk of satanic cults, a twisted killer, a door to another dimension, and, of course, aliens…” The obvious inspiration is the “Bennington Triangle” centered on Glastenbury Mountain — a term coined by Citro, who chronicled the region’s history of vanishings. But who cares if the idea is new? McMahon uses an unusually sophisticated
time- and perspective-hopping narrative to do what she’s best at: jack up the tension. As the story progresses in two different centuries, building toward thrilling (if not always surprising) revelations, readers may find the book hard to put down. Both alternating narratives concern residents of the same West Hall hill farm. In 1908, Sara Harrison Shea and her husband struggle to feed themselves on the barren plot. Schooled by her Native American caretaker, Sara believes the land is wandered by “sleepers” or “winter people,” who have been “called back from the land of the dead by grieving husbands and wives.” After she experiences her own family tragedy, she begins to consider a seemingly unthinkable option. In the present day, 19-year-old Ruthie shares the farm with her sister and homesteader mother, who has cautioned her not to venture into the woods. But when Ruthie’s mom disappears one frigid January night, she has no choice but to investigate the mysteries of the West Hall Triangle. The search leads her to Sara’s “secret diary,” published after its author’s violent death. Soon Ruthie is on a collision course with Boston artist Katherine, who wants to know why her husband visited Sara’s former home on the last day of his life. From the novel’s first pages, horror fans will recognize its central conceit from Stephen King’s Pet Sematary, W.W. Jacobs’ “The Monkey’s Paw” and countless other cautionary tales of bereaved people who refuse to let their loved ones stay dead. The reader knows that resurrection magic never works in fiction without untoward — often horrific — consequences. But McMahon’s grief-driven characters, apparently unfamiliar with the saying “Be careful what you wish for,” are eager to give it a try. The characters’ classic-horror-film naïveté widens the distance between them and the reader; by the time the ending rolls around, after plot twists galore, it may be hard to care about their fates. McMahon tends to draw her characters in broad strokes — villainous, passive, spunky, fey — and to psychologize in clichés. (One character experiences a revelation that “felt like a punch in the gut, hard and heavy.”) As a meditation on the consequences of grief, then, The Winter People falls short. But as a campfire tale, it triumphs. Horror doesn’t need freshness to horrify, as last summer’s hit film The Conjuring proved. Indeed, fear is such a conservative emotion
BOOKS
It’s heartening to see local writers venture back into the not-so-pastoral landscapes Lovecraft evoked.
FROM “HOUSE OF THE CARYATIDS” IN THE LORD CAME AT TWILIGHT
by the power a preacher wields over his flock when he claims to see the invisible. The agnostic narrator of “The Tempest Glass” writes that he learned as a child “not only to fear God, but to fear those … who would claim to understand His Will.” That fear is justified by stories in which charismatic preachers abuse their power. “Whistler’s Gore” is an inventive tale told in headstone epitaphs supposedly found in a Vermont churchyard. From their pious euphemisms, we learn how a minister’s unorthodox sermon wrought a sea change in his congregation. In “The Naked Goddess,” a railroad man on his way to Vergennes stumbles into an unmapped village whose residents have been living under another renegade preacher’s direction — with bizarre results. Mills depicts remote Vermont farmsteads and villages as worlds unto themselves, islands of atavism like the actual island in the 1973 horror classic The Wicker Man. Lovecraft embraced this notion, too. In “The Whisperer in Darkness” — to which Mills pays homage in his story “Whisperers” — the horror master envisioned Vermont’s jagged terrain as a set of unreadable runes left by an ancient alien race. Mills’ approach to the region is more historically informed, however. Each landscape is a map of past tragedies for those who know how to read it. “We live, we die, and still the land remembers,” says the narrator of “The Hollow.” “These hills offer no rest, no escape.” In “The Wayside Voices,” the march of railroads across the state leaves an accursed tavern stranded on a now-abandoned toll road. “The Naked Goddess” takes place earlier, when railroads had yet to span Vermont, their progress hindered by “truculent farmers.” The tracks stopped at Rutland, a settlement of “dirty,
ramshackle buildings,” forcing the story’s narrator to venture north on horseback:
miasma that lingers. “Dust From a Dark Flower” has all the ingredients for a fright film in the tradition of “body horror,” but Mill’s languid, neo-Victorian style keeps the gruesome elements at a remove. What readers are likely to remember about these stories are not their plots but their places. That’s not a criticism: Would HBO’s “True Detective” have been so unsettling without its fixation on Louisiana’s swampy vistas? Working in his own medium, Mills produces descriptions that are painterly and sometimes cinematic. In “House of the Caryatids,” for instance, a young Yankee soldier’s visit to a seemingly deserted Georgia plantation plays out with nightmarish detail and vividness (see sidebar). Mills’ descriptions exhibit a lyricism and nuance lacking in the book’s illustrations by M. Wayne Miller, a veteran of role-playing-game art. But Miller’s hyperbolic images have their own special charm, evoking the Scholastic Press horror anthologies that kids devoured in the preGoosebumps era. It’s heartening to see a young genre author being published in such an attractive format, and still more heartening to see local writers venture back into the notso-pastoral landscapes Lovecraft evoked. Cell towers and high-speed internet may have arrived, but Vermont still has its dark places.
For many miles the road continued to climb, winding through forgotten towns, villages left empty when “merino fever” subsided and there was no longer enough food. I rode for hours and met no one. A quiet desolation lay upon that deserted landscape, gathering over the abandoned farms and cemeteries that climbed the slopes of every forested hill. There was something of beauty there — in the push of a sapling through a fallen roof or the growth of moss on a weathered gravestone — but it was a grim beauty, founded in suffering and failure: both beautiful and terrible, and indeed, more beautiful for being terrible.
INFO
The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon, Doubleday, 336 pages, $25.95. The Lord Came at Twilight by Daniel Mills, illustrations by M. Wayne Miller, Dark Renaissance Books, 240 pages. Deluxe hardcover edition, $45. More info at darkrenaissance.com.
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Beauty also shows up paired with terror in several stories where a spectral female figure seduces an unreliable narrator into proximity with the unknown. Mills draws tension from the familiar Victorian conflict between reason and carnal temptation, while giving his succubi figures human shadings and pathos. Some of the stories read like thought experiments designed to bring intellectual concepts to life. For instance, “The Falling Dark” both describes and demonstrates the folklorists’ concept of liminality, key to the workings of horror. In “John Blake,” an extreme interpretation of liberty, embodied in the checkered career of a Revolutionary War patriot, becomes a monster in its own right. Few of these tales deliver shocks, and few end with the sort of O. Henry-esque snap that readers may expect from short horror fiction. Instead, they create a
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splintered signpost. “The Pillars,” it read, “1 mile,” the sign angled in such a way as to point down a narrow road. The earth was muddy, the track well-faded, but we took it gladly, dreaming already of that big house and whatever we might find inside. And though the distance may have been a mile by the crow’s flight, the route proved torturous in the extreme, dipping and weaving all the time, circling round swamp and sinkhole alike, so that it was the best part of an hour before we emerged at the edge of the plantation itself.
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hile McMahon grabs us on a visceral level with the wrongness of the walking dead, Mills deals in a subtler, more creeping brand of horror. Some of the tales collected in The Lord Came at Twilight feature ghosts, cursed objects and other familiar folkloric motifs, but their real subject is the dread of the unknown. That includes the numinous “revealed truths” of religion. As the title indicates, Christian imagery and themes permeate Mills’ stories; most are set in the Victorian era, when skeptics were comparatively rare. Yet the Protestant God emerges from these tales not as an antagonist of supernatural evil but a source of fear and trembling in his own right. Like early American author Charles Brockden Brown, Mills seems fascinated
have been abandoned during the previous summer, and in some hurry, for the crops lay unharvested, the pastures brown and sickly. We descended the far side of the ridgeline, catching ourselves when the sodden earth crumbled and gave way underfoot. The sun beat down on us, hotter than before, and the world itself seemed to shrink from its glare until the rest of our regiment came to seem immeasurably far away, the road back masked by rising heat. We came to a crossroads marked by a
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that an original concept, by awakening our curiosity, can free us from its stifling clutches. Like director James Wan, McMahon rearranges hoary horror elements in ways that awaken the scared child inside us. She wisely keeps the “sleepers” off stage for as long as possible, letting them manifest in old-house noises and fleeting glimpses and “a smell, a terrible burningfat sort of reek.” Moment by moment, it’s a scary book. When the complete outline of the plot emerges, the tension drops, as McMahon loses the advantage of being able to say, “Boo!” The Winter People doesn’t leave us with lasting dread. Still, McMahon grasps the power of Lovecraft’s notion of a rural isolation so deep that it shelters “old, strange things” — even in the 21st century. The book has passages that will make you tense and glance around furtively — the truest test of a ghost story.
That morning was particularly hot, as I remember, sunlight blurring the dogwood with the magnolia and all of it shimmering with damp. The three of us had left the camp at dawn on a foraging party but later sneaked away from the others so as to prowl alone that empty country, seeking out whiskey or ale or a woman’s company. At noon, we came to an old wagon road and this we followed uphill till we reached a kind of promontory. From there we spied a large plantation below, a square house ringed with columns. It looked to
PHOTOS: Courtesy of Chris Miller
Art
Clay model of otter sculpture by Gampo Wickenheiser
Beyond the Gallery A 1988 law brings art to state buildings — including Berlin’s new psychiatric hospital
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B y Am y Li l ly
Clay model of border collie bench by Ryan Mays
Y
Chris Miller’s “habitat tree” clay model
ou may not have heard of the of Calais, Heather Ritchie of Plainfield, her pup at one end and another with a Vermont Art in State Buildings Ryan Mays and Gampo Wickenheiser of sleeping bulldog puppy, both by Mays. Act of 1988 — but you’ve Montpelier, and Giuliano Cecchinelli II Ritchie is fashioning a beaver dam probably seen it in action. of Barre aren’t complaining. These artists for the interior courtyard, with a single With it, lawmakers guaranteed that up were chosen to enhance the new Vermont beaver peeking over the bench carved to $50,000 of taxpayers’ money would Psychiatric Care Hospital under construc- into one side. That space will also include be devoted annually to the creation of tion in Berlin — one of three Art in State Wickenheiser’s water feature with two petart for the public spaces of new state Buildings projects currently in progress. (The table otters. Cecchinelli is making a chessbuildings. Today, instead of encountering others are the Vermont Agency of Human board bench for the activity yard that will bare hallways and purely functional Services in Waterbury and the Bennington sit on two knights’ — i.e., horses’ — heads. lobbies, Vermonters entering many office Courthouse and State Office Building.) Not every new state building gets art buildings, courthouses, state college Last week, the sculptors’ designs were under the program. Department of Buildings libraries and public safety facilities walk approved by a legislative advisory commit- and General Services Commissioner past site-specific paintings, sculptures and tee — the final step before fabrication and Michael Obuchowski usually selects one or decorative art. two buildings a year Or walk on them. to recommend to the At the Vermont legislative advisory Arts Council committee, accordM ic h e l e B a il ey, Ve r mo n t Ar t s C o unc i l in Montpelier, ing to Michele Bailey, employees and the VAC’s program visitors tread across director. The deciKathleen O’Connor’s 1993 marble and installation. The sculptures will be in place sion is based on factors such as geographical granite floor installation in the shape of an by May 1, before the 25-bed facility starts distribution and degree of public access. abstract flower. The VAC administers the accepting patients in June. Bailey began working at the arts council program, selecting buildings and artists in Miller, who leads the team of sculptors, as a receptionist the year the act was passed partnership with the Vermont Department notes that granite art seems fitting for the and has overseen Art in State Buildings since of Buildings and General Services. site, given that the new building is “three 1995. She notes that, since its inception, the The idea wasn’t new at the time of the miles from Rock of Ages.” Using Barre gray program has funded roughly 50 artists’ work program’s inception. Iowa, for example, from that quarry, as well as granite blocks in 30 buildings across Vermont. had passed its Art in State Buildings law uncovered on-site during construction, the The new psychiatric hospital is less nearly 10 years earlier. There, legislators sculptors will fashion animal-themed works accessible than most of the chosen sites. had the foresight to tie expenditures to designed to welcome touch as well as use. Only the habitat tree will be visible to the building costs: One half of 1 percent of new All of the pieces look adorable, if the general public; permission is required to construction funds is set aside for public clay models are any indication. For the enter the lobby. Nonetheless, Bailey points art. Vermont’s dollar allotment, mean- entry, Miller will create a “habitat tree” — out, “Helping the patients have access to art while, has remained the same over the past essentially a maple tree trunk rendered in benefits us all.” quarter-century. If adjusted for inflation, it granite and populated by a rabbit, squirrel The hospital is the first structure belongwould now be closer to $95,000. and bird. The lobby will feature one bench ing to the Department of Mental Health to But granite sculptors Chris Miller with a female Border collie curled around be selected for the program, according to
Helping the patients have access to art benefits us all.
Selections from the Art in State Buildings Program from around Vermont
Annemie Curlin painting at the Rutland County District Courthouse
Wasserman team installation at Hebard State Office Building in Newport
Dan Gottsegen and Terrence Boyle glass banner at the Vermont Department of Public Safety and Forensics Lab in Waterbury PHOTOS Courtesy of Vermont art council
INFO
vermontartscouncil.org
FEATURE 39
the sculptures have a healing and calming effect on [the patients] that helps promote their recovery and return to their usual lives,” Bushey says. Hospital art won’t be a novelty to Vermont’s mental-health patients. Though the building will feel entirely different from the old hospital — not least because it meets current national standards by providing each patient with a private room and bath — it isn’t in this respect. The former Vermont State Hospital had art as far back as Rosenstreich can recall. “I have several decades of experience at that hospital; I was taken through there back when it had over a thousand patients,” Rosenstreich says. “There’s always been art there, and they’ve always had art-therapy activities for the patients.” She adds that she once bought a patient’s painting for her home. The sculptures created by Miller and his team are likely to surprise and please users of the new hospital such as Bushey, who was previously unaware of the Art in State Buildings program. The nurse says she notices and enjoys the inlaid marble floor at the new Addison County Courthouse in Middlebury (by Lawrence Lazarus and Allen Pratt) every time she enters. “It’s lovely,” she says, “but I had no idea of the process behind it. So that’s been just fabulous to learn about. “And isn’t it amazing to see talent like that,” Bushey says, “bring something like that to life that so many people can enjoy?” m
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parks and recently completed a crouching catamount sculpture for the University of Vermont, tail adhering firmly to a back leg. He already “design[s] for durability,” he says. “You anticipate people climbing on things to get their picture taken.” The committee, however, “mentioned a lot of things that patients might do, which were all foreign to me,” Miller adds. One was that patients might attempt self-injury by jumping off a sculpture. For this reason, the water feature was redesigned to be less than three feet tall. The meetings produced “a lot of constructive back and forth,” as Miller puts it. Ritchie, 38, one of only two women carvers currently working in Barre’s memorial industry, first proposed the beaver dam when the committee needed a “large-ish design for the entry area.” The idea was “a departure from my other stonework,” says the artist, who makes sculptures and paintings with “fantasy and grotesque” elements for her own business, Bonnie Wee Art. (The name is a reference to Ritchie’s Scottish heritage; her great-grandfather immigrated to Barre to carve granite.) The committee liked the dam but decided to move it to the courtyard, and asked Ritchie to incorporate a bench. “Sometimes you get a project where the client will say, ‘We love your work; here’s the budget, do what you want,’” comments Miller. “This was a really collaborative project. We would do sketches, they’d give feedback. We’d do models, they’d give more feedback. It was a really incremental thing.” The result is something all parties hope will bring comfort to the patients. “I hope
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Art Center in Stowe. Kathy Bushey, who will be the hospital’s associate director of nursing, represented its employees. Granite carver Mays, 35, says he was “fairly surprised” when the committee selected the sculptors’ animal-themed proposal. He has observed a recent preference for minimalism and abstraction in public art. Mays, who works in the memorial industry and carves “a lot of animal subjects when I’m not doing angels,” characterizes his own realistic dogs as a “throwback.” The art-selection committee, however, liked the animal theme, which was meant to evoke therapy and companion animals. And, recalls Mays, “They told us from the beginning that representational work seemed to be more effective with that population.” Bushey, who has worked as a psychiatric nurse for most of her 30-year career, hesitates to back such a “blanket statement.” But she does recall that a large part of the committee discussion focused on the suggestion that the art be “patient-accessible in a way that they could touch them.” The sculptors learned of other considerations, too, in the course of many meetings between the artistic team and the art-selection wcommittee. “Patient safety was a huge priority,” recalls Miller, “so we designed the animals with all softened edges and no limbs or ears sticking out in a way that would cause any injuries.” The sculptors also accommodated the committee’s concerns about “animals that stood up tall and might invite people to try to knock them down.” The carved animals are all in prone or curled positions. Miller, 55, has created pieces for public
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the department’s senior policy adviser, Judy Rosenstreich. As a Level 1 facility, she says, the hospital will house “acutely psychiatrically ill patients.” Hence the new building required a slightly different approach from previous projects. The VAC’s call to artists generally includes a request to “be welcoming.” For the hospital, it also requested proposals that would “strive to bring the natural world inside” and “reflect therapeutic and healing relationships.” Bailey explains that the call to bring nature inside reflected the architectural plans for the new hospital, which will have a secure exterior perimeter and two interior courtyards with access to shade trees and raised gardening beds. The perimeter eliminates the need for a wall or other enclosure, allowing the entry sculpture to be visible from the road. “They designed [the hospital] with ample space for people to move around,” Rosenstreich says. By contrast, the old Vermont State Hospital in Waterbury, flooded during Tropical Storm Irene in 2011, “was very confined. That leads to stress,” she notes. The “therapeutic and healing” request originated with the local art-selection committee, which in this case included patient advocates and what Rosenstreich calls “peers” — people with the lived experience of mental illness. The committee also featured the usual suspects: architect Anthony Garner of the New York-based firm architecture+; BGS project manager Mike Kuhn; and Rachel Moore, assistant curator at the Helen Day
Courtesy of Lindsay Raymondjack Photography
THEATER
Jordan Gullikson and Deanna McGovern
Whiplash
40 FEATURE
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A
ll the words that might tempt you to see Venus in Fur — comedy, sex, role reversal, erotic literature, sado-masochism — do apply, but the biggest draw turns out to be the acting. There’s more situation than plot, and though the subject matter is sex, Vermont Stage Company’s production isn’t salacious. The play by David Ives flirts with revealing the meaning of the world he constructs, then settles for teasing us. But the story does demonstrate the subtle changes that tip the balance of power in a relationship. Vanda, an unpolished actress, arrives late to an audition for playwright-director Thomas’ adaptation of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch’s 1870 erotic novel Venus in Furs. The playwright is about to leave and tries to dispatch Vanda, but she is oddly, playfully insistent on reading. So what if no one else is there? Thomas can read with her, she suggests. By coincidence, she has the same name as the character in the play. And she just happens to have a period dress in her bag. The ditzy actress thinks she knows the material. “It’s masochism, right? Kind of porny? Pornish?” That explains her firstchoice audition garment, a leather bustier she reveals when she takes off her raincoat. Intellectual Thomas is at pains to explain the subtleties and significance of his material; it’s far from pornography. And so the play begins to explore the power and sexual dynamics within a series of pairs: director and actress, male and female,
Theater review: Venus in Fur, Vermont Stage Company B y Al e x Br o w n
Thomas and Vanda, and the script’s characters, Kushemski and Vanda. Thomas and Vanda make gradual transitions as they find themselves exploring the nature of dominance and submission in relationships. There are small, subtle cruelties well short of the extremes of punishment. The paradox of control is both funny and perplexing. The characters demonstrate power in a submissive role, a form of surrender in a dominant one, and sensuality in both.
and wonders if Vanda can give it to him. He remains wary but finds himself on his knees. Deanna McGovern’s Vanda enters as a ditz, all flailing arms and legs, complaining about everything that made her late in a way that amplifies her incompetence instead of excusing it. She’s hopelessly overmatched, and Thomas is sure to dismiss her. Yet there is something electric about her. McGovern captivates the audience just a little before her character convinces Thomas to give her a chance. McGovern laces calculation with naïveté as she tugs us along on what seems to be an impulsive joy ride. It’s a special pleasure to see her showing Vanda thinking on her feet. The play takes its first thrilling turn when the discombobulated actress sits down to read her lines, and what comes out is an imperial aristocrat, complete with impeccable Austrian accent. McGovern continues to unleash dazzling capabilities, not the least of which are the delicious changes when she breaks character to interrogate Thomas about his play. McGovern captures the humor of these lurches from profound to banal, and adds a little spice by demonstrating her own pleasure in stylishly snapping in and out of character. Jordan Gullikson plumbs many layers for Thomas. He’s coolly contemptuous of the shallow actresses who’ve previously
Gullikson transforms many times,
landing in each case with a cat’s unerring balance and astonishing ease. The comic aspects emerge, but the subject matter has inspired director Cristina Alicea to take a quiet, respectful approach, the better to showcase the skills of the two actors. Alicea delicately persuades us that what we might dismiss as neurotic excess is actually far subtler. The gradual transition to the very first traces of pain or power is emphasized in this production. Thomas doesn’t throw out his arms and beg, “Hurt me.” He looks carefully, as if crossing a busy street. He thinks about what he wants
auditioned for him, but this armor slowly falls away. His curiosity about Vanda is so great that he fails to notice she’s collecting more confessions from him than she’s making to him. Gullikson is masterful at portraying his character’s progress, one tiny transition at a time. He starts out stiffly reading lines with Vanda, his fingers tracing the words of the script. When she urges him to try an accent, his first effort is clumsy and superficial. But as the audition continues, Gullikson’s accent becomes natural, then silky, as his bearing shifts to evoke a 19thcentury nobleman. This play studies shifts in power, and a review shouldn’t disclose all the surprises. But Gullikson transforms many times, landing in each case with a cat’s unerring balance and astonishing ease. Ives seems content with an ending so ambiguous that it very nearly cheats us. The ending matters because the play consists of a slippery reality in which Thomas and Vanda behave both naturally and supernaturally. We anticipate an eventual grand coherence, but Ives perhaps hopes we’ll be sated by the pure comic oddity of it all. The story can be viewed either as Thomas’ imagination come to life or as Vanda’s vision of an actor’s ultimate revenge on a director. It’s a neat enough trick that both ideas are possible. Costumes are the show’s weak point, but other technical production elements are excellent. Alicea’s decision to stage the play with an alley-style layout puts the actors under close inspection from an audience in close proximity. The arrangement may result in less heat than the director intended, but it does impose a clinical form of observation. All plays ask the audience to surrender disbelief. Agreeing to play along and be entertained is a small version of the agreement Kushemski makes to become Vanda’s slave. For the sake of the experience, we remain immersed, without an intermission, for just under two hours. Ives sets up parallels that resonate among the modernday characters, the subjects of the script and the roles of actor and director they assume, and these vibrations are enchanting. But it’s up to the actors to make this wild and unresolved story feel complete. Thomas and Vanda dissect the nature of seduction, but in the end it is the viewer who is seduced. m
INFO
Venus in Fur by David Ives, directed by Cristina Alicea, produced by Vermont Stage Company. Through March 30, Wednesdays through Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 2 p.m., at FlynnSpace in Burlington. $32–37.50. vtstage.org
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42 FEATURE
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Left to right: Logan Mills, Katrina Roen, Craig Wells, Ceara Ledwith, Peter Hiebert
Comic Relief Theater review: Urinetown: The Musical, UVM Department of Theatre B y Al ex Br ow n
T
he University of Vermont Department of Theatre has pulled out all the stops to present a rousing production of Urinetown, the musical that scored two Tony awards in 2002 for Mark Hollman (music and lyrics) and Greg Kotis (book and lyrics). It playfully demeans the possibility of putting a message in a musical by setting up a corporate villain too over the top to fear and too hilarious to hate, wrapping everything in a brilliant parody of the musical art form itself. The show takes place in a city that is suffering a decades-long water shortage. The government has outlawed private bathrooms to conserve water and has obliged corporate giant Urine Good Company by outlawing relief outdoors. UGC has the monopoly on public bathrooms: Everyone
must pay to pee. Sharp class lines emerge, and the story starts at one of the most miserable public facilities, where the poor must daily scrape up the ever-rising cost of relieving their bladders. It’s a potent metaphor for corporate control, allowing for hyperbole that would be satiric but for the musical’s higher artistic principle: irony. As in a typical musical, there is a love story, some social commentary, two large groups of people with opposing ideas and a chance for a happy ending. Though all these treats are doled out to the audience, they come with a price tag: We have to laugh at what we love. A typical day for the robber baron at the helm of UGC, Caldwell B. Cladwell, involves bribing politicians, amassing more wealth and suppressing the people with the help of a police force steered by Officer
Lockstock. Cladwell has to teach his fresh-from-college daughter, Hope, the ways of corporate success. “I never realized that large monopolizing companies could be such a force for good in the world!” she chirps. Meanwhile, struggling assistant pissoir custodian Bobby Strong has just seen his father hauled away. Old Man Strong lacks the cash to pee, so police march him off to exile in Urinetown. It’s a tragic fate, as we later learn. When Hope and Bobby fall in love, and the cost of peeing is hiked higher still, something’s gotta give. And there is singing and dancing to prove it. Director Gregory Ramos never misses a chance to exaggerate a convention of musical theater. Yet the result is not unfeeling sarcasm but an enthusiastic celebration of how freely an audience gives its heart to emotion laid bare through music. Ramos manages to balance homage and ridicule, and establishes the crucial structure for real theater: characters with objectives. The show’s prime comedic target is Bertolt Brecht’s epic theater. Brecht is easy to mock for his large political ambitions, or his emphasis on intellectual instead of emotional reactions to art. But,
as this production shows, Brecht’s practice of calling attention to theatrical artifice is principally a way of making us curious. When actors break the frame and speak about the story they’re in, when a sign saying “Secret Hideout” appears onstage, or when two lovers burst into a mawkish song about mawkish songs, the play is laying bare its own workings, as if daring us to be affected by them. Such self-referential moments delight, and they teach us how theater works. Brecht wanted to go a step further and reveal the ideology beneath theatrical conventions. Urinetown turns that notion on its head by mocking dreams of political change. Once class struggle is a dance number, it’s not exactly philosophy. But Brecht’s techniques work regardless. Noticing the artificiality of a play helps us stand back in wonder to interpret the effect on us. As Officer Lockstock says when introducing the setting, “It’s any town. Any town that would be in a musical.” The overt claim of naturalism explodes the possibility of naturalism, distancing us and reminding us that we should question the familiar. The use of a narrator in Urinetown gives every aspect of the show a modern, ironic stance. Ramos doesn’t lay it on too thick, and Joel Kasnetz gives the role
THEATER of Lockstock a sturdy, pleasant warmth. Kasnetz’s only moment of outright excess comes when he milks the finale of a song, and actually has the effect of demonstrating the restraint he’s maintained up until then. The banter between Lockstock and squeakily cute Little Sally (a delightful Kaitie Bessette) never fails to entertain even as it deconstructs the show. When Lockstock confronts Little Sally with the harsh reality of the musical’s grim subject matter, she has the bright side at the ready. “When a little girl’s been given as many lines as I have, there’s still hope for dreams!” As Bobby Strong, Andrew Fusco is every inch the hero: handsome, humble and energetic. He has a special knack for distilling movement to its essence, with no wasted effort. His winning combination of comic and vocal skills is showcased in his scenes
with Hope, played with great wit by Ceara Ledwith. In the pair’s duet, the beauty of their harmony contrasts hilariously with the absurdity of the lyrics. But they go right on to sell the number, commendably immersed in the idiocy. Ledwith’s expressive face is a highlight; later in the story, even a gag over her mouth fails to dim it. Broadway veteran Craig Wells joins the company to play Cladwell with uptempo glee. Wells is wonderful, and it’s a credit to the student ensemble that he doesn’t eclipse this talented cast but works beautifully with them. A bilevel set by Jeff Modereger has clever signage and well-chosen projections. Its anchor is the tired tile of the public bathroom, and it’s a high compliment to note that you can almost smell it. Martin Thaler’s costumes are outstanding. From Cladwell’s spats to woeful Little
The musical idiom is unambiguous abouT
pusHing EmoTion To THE HigHEsT piTcH, And THis cAsT Holds noTHing bAck.
Sally’s grimy plaid pinafore, his choices and the costume crew’s execution provide each character with depth. The decision to use the styles of the 1930s, invoking left-wing causes and the Depression, accentuates the impossibility of social progress, in keeping with the show’s tongue-in-cheek political message. Taryn Noelle’s smart, lively choreography moves the large cast around to reveal its glee or despair, in unison or in melée. Her clever ideas include building a dance number around the file folders that Cladwell’s employees carry. The folders are red, matching the boss’ carnation, and when they’re held in outstretched arms, fluttering or diving through the air, Noelle turns a humdrum artifact into an expression of joyous veneration of the corporate leader. The musical ensemble, led by music director Nate Venet, brings the show’s songs to life with a cabaret feel. No individual tune is especially memorable, but that’s because even the melodies and arrangements are references to other musicals. The stupendous Act One finale is a jumble of musical conventions, with Les Misérables coming out on top. An insane anthem called
“Run, Freedom, Run” skewers gospel by way of “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat” from Guys and Dolls, while “What Is Urinetown?” has eerie melodic parallels to Fiddler on the Roof’s “To Life,” a song about the very opposite ideas. It’s the presentation more than the tune that links “Snuff That Girl” with West Side Story’s “Cool,” but the finger snaps seal the deal. You need not spend the show hunting down the references. It’s better to surrender to the humor and irreverence. The musical idiom is unambiguous about pushing emotion to the highest pitch, and this cast holds nothing back, even as they demonstrate the sheer silliness of it all. m
INFo
Urinetown: The Musical, music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann, book and lyrics by Greg Kotis, directed by Gregory Ramos, produced by the University of Vermont Department of Theatre. March 20 through 22, 7:30 p.m.; March 23, 2 p.m., at the Royall Tyler Theatre, UVM, in Burlington. $18-21; UVM students $10. Info, 656-2094. uvm.edu/theatre
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food
App Surfing in the UV White River Junction’s dining options gain critical mass
44 FOOD
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BY C O R IN H IR S C H
Mixed-grill kebab at Tuckerbox
O
“
h, sorry, we’re booked solid.” This wasn’t what I expected to hear last Friday night when I called White River Junction’s Tuckerbox to inquire about a dinner reservation. I’m so accustomed to wandering in during the day for tea that I wasn’t even sure the place took reservations for its newly instituted dinner service. I assumed it would be a breeze to arrive without warning. Wrong. Ever since starting dinner service last month, Tuckerbox has been
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slammed. So it felt like a big-city triumph when a host announced he could find seats for us at the counter. When I first moved to the Upper Valley more than a decade ago, I quickly developed a crush on this town of brick and open sky — with its salvage place, its Polka Dot Restaurant, the trains that rumbled and hooted through it several times a day. At night, though, White River seemed pretty dead, at least to my untrained eyes. A few diners could always be spotted behind the windows of the Tip LISTEN IN ON LOCAL FOODIES...
Top Café, and people might be puffing on cigarettes outside CJ’s at Than Wheeler’s or the Filling Station Bar and Grill. Occasionally the Briggs Opera House let loose a crowd after a Northern Stage play, or a band played at the Main Street Museum. Outside special events and First Fridays, though, “White River nightlife” was an oxymoron. This was certainly not a town I thought could ever host my favorite sport, app surfing — think a pub crawl, but focused on food. Over time, White River’s nights have changed. Elixir Restaurant arrived five years ago, followed by Tupelo Music Hall. Soon after, chef Eric Hartling opened Tuckerbox on a central corner. Almost instantly it became the preferred mingling place in town for students from the Center for Cartoon Studies, workers and passersby alike. Yet unlike its predecessors in the space — an Italian restaurant and an African eatery — Tuckerbox didn’t serve dinner. This was a puzzle to me. Since the café was one of my favorite daytime venues, I could easily imagine it dimly lit on a snowy evening, wine glasses on every table.
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Vural and Jackie Oktay may have shared that vision. The Oktays opened Istanbul Kebab House in Essex Junction two years ago, but the Upper Valley is their home. Last November, they purchased Tuckerbox from Hartling and put big plans into motion. The changes were subtle at first. A zucchini fritter and kebabs appeared on the menu alongside the standard offerings of granola parfaits, grilled-cheese sandwiches, pastries and bracing coffee. Then, in mid-February, the Oktays rolled out full dinner service, drawing on the culinary juju of chef Mehmet Kurtlu — who helped them open the Kebab House up north. “This is something we’ve always wanted to do,” says Vural Oktay, who has been in the UV for close to a decade. I can’t count the times I’ve exclaimed, “I wish Tuckerbox was open at night, and I wish it served wine.” Fortuitously, Oktay is a passionate advocate of Turkish wines, which now compose the majority of the list at Tuckerbox. More than a few come from Kavaklidere, a well-known organic Turkish winery. APP SURFING
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FOOD 45
two young children. His schedule has him brewing from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. and going to work at 9 a.m. “It’s just what I need to do for now,” he says. Currently, visitors to Four Quarters can taste samples and fill growlers, but Eckert plans to start bottling soon. Restaurateurs desirous of kegs may not want to hold their breath, however. Eckert is committed to self-distribution to a small number of accounts, but not for a few months at least. Beer-wise, Eckert has yet to roll out Fleur de Lys, which he calls “kind of a hybrid between a Berliner weisse and a saison,” and a series of sour beers. The Four Quarters tasting room, a wooden bar a few
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character comes out,” Eckert says. (Unsurprisingly, the first batch is already gone.) Other Four Quarters beers include Horn of the Moon, a witbier brewed with barley and wheat and flavored with orange peel and zest. Despite its seemingly mystical moniker, it’s actually named for a pond near Montpelier. Janus 1 is a “rustic saison” brewed with oats and chamomile, while Janus 2 is the same beer brewed with red wine yeast. (Janus 1 is currently on tap at the brewery.) Eckert has been turning out his beers in the wee hours, the only time he can steal between his full-time job as a web designer at BEn & JErry’s and caring for his
This winter’s excess of precipitation is nothing new for JuanIta galloway. Her first seven years were spent in chilly, rainy Bogotá, 3 courses for $35 Colombia. Galloway moved to Shelburne two years ago Tuesday to Friday from Seattle. Now, under the banner of colomBIan Eats, Visit she’s sharing her native cuiWWW.LAMANTE.COM sine with her new neighbors, rain — or snow — or shine. for details For the past four years, the Seattle Culinary Academy grad and former event planner has been busy8v-lamante031214.indd 1 3/10/14 4:50 PM raising her two young sons. Two weeks ago, Galloway officially went back to work — by preparing her mother’s Colombian cheesecake recipe. “My husband wants to call it ‘cloud cake,’” she says of the ultralight delicacy. Each time Galloway crafts a cheesecake, she follows a recipe written in Spanish on a note card by her mother. “It’s very specific — the timing — everything about 30% OFF it has to be done exactly,” Galloway says. “But it’s all bottles of wine foolproof every time.” in the bar every Galloway’s mother and Wednesday! aunt began selling their airy cakes in Bogotá more than 40 years ago. While their Sparkling wines $6 version was topped with an intense raspberry sauce, by the glass Galloway uses her refined on Thursdays! palate to create her own sauces. Her menu currently includes raspberry (her own 126 College St., Burlington version), a blueberry sauce vinbarvt.com spiced with cardamom, and SEVENDAYSVt.com
Quick: What’s patersbier? What’s the Latin name for hops? And who the hell makes smoked red ale around here? The answer to all three questions can be found inside 150 West Canal Street in Winooski, where Four QuartErs BrEwIng opened last weekend. Its stable of beers — including Janus, Horn of the Moon and Opus Dei — alternately resurrects historical styles and evokes mythological figures. Founder and brewer BrIan EckErt is not only a beer geek but a mythology and astronomy buff. “My interests outside of beer and food are sort of just trying to wrap my head around the universe,” says Eckert, who declares himself fascinated with the intersection of religion and beer — that is, with beers brewed by monks. To wit, he’s brewed a patersbier — which means “father’s beer” — a low-alcohol abbey ale traditionally brewed by Trappist monks to be consumed within their monasteries. (Eckert’s version, called Opus Dei, is a sessionable 4-percentalcohol beer.) Eckert borrowed the Latin name for hops, Humulus lupulus, for his Opus Humulus, a 3.9-percent-alcohol-ale “that retains a spicy character from the yeast but has a good healthy dose of hops,” he says. His brewing sometimes draws on unusual techniques. Smoked malts lend their flavor to Chrysalis, a smoked, hoppy red ale. “When it’s freshly poured, there’s a big aroma of hops, but they’re sort of fleeting and drift away as the beer warms up and the smoke
steps away from the fourbarrel brewing system, is open on Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons. Find hours on the brewery’s Facebook page.
3/3/14 3:42 PM
food App Surfing « p.44 Oktay cheerfully pours out samples on request, bridging the gulf of unfamiliarity with his infectious enthusiasm. These grapes have strange (to us) names, but each one we tried was fine-tuned and balanced. The Çankaya tasted like a floral, beguiling mashup of Sauvignon Blanc, Torrontés and maybe a touch of Chardonnay. A juicy dry rosé (made from a grape I’ll never be able to pronounce — Çalkarasi) was a valiant complement to many of the mezze. We quaffed them faster than was probably wise. For app surfers like us, Tuckerbox offers a treasury of choices, and many come piled together on the mezze platter — a riot of colors and textures served with a crisp puff of sesame-dusted lavash. The stuffed grape leaves were startlingly fresh and cinnamon-scented, while the creamy haydari, a dill-flecked yogurt dip, swept the palate with tang. It contrasted starkly with the smoke and bite of a Turkish tomato salsa. Plated alone is pachanga borek, a cylinder of feather-light fried pastry stuffed
with garlicky sausage and creamy farmer’s cheese (Kashar), and smeared with red-pepper coulis. With its crust made mostly of butter and a meat-filled interior, this is a dish you want to inhale — and we did. Despite our stated focus on small plates, we wanted to try at least one of Tuckerbox’s entrées. Though the tomatobased casseroles called güveç were alluring, we settled on a plate of charred protein — the mixed-grill kebab. It was a succulent jumble of shaved lamb, tubes of spicy chicken Adana, mounds of meatball and buttery cubes of swordfish. Each bite deserved a corresponding sip of Yakut, a light-bodied red.
Oktay looked stricken at the idea that we would leave without dessert — baklava is a specialty — but we had other places to go on our tour of White River’s new nightlife. At the same time that Tuckerbox changed hands, Hartling sold the nearby Tip Top Café to Eileen McGuckin. She was at the hostess station on Friday night, and the menu suggested she’d decided to stick with the general theme of new American fare. Wisely so. The fries at Tip Top are among the best in the state — battered and fried, showered with salt and herbs and served in a paper cone with a pot of aioli. My friend Kate, whom I will
The mixed-grill kebab was a succulenT jumble
of shaved lamb, tubes of spicy chicken adana, mounds of meatball and buttery cubes of swordfish.
henceforth call “Super-Palate,” was a Tip Top fry virgin but quickly nailed the kitchen’s secret weapon. “Don’t you taste the sugar on these?” she asked. I hadn’t until she mentioned it — the sweetness was almost undetectable. We snacked on the fries and a plate of luscious braised pork belly over French lentils before departing for our third and final stop of the evening. If we had had more room in our stomachs, we might have stopped at Than Wheeler’s for a burger, or at C & S Pizza for a slice, or even at the newly installed Big Fatty’s BBQ. But, in the interest of self-preservation, we bypassed those for Elixir. This wine bar and restaurant occupies the Freight House, a building that occasionally trembles when blocks of salt are unloaded from railroad cars out back. Since Elixir is a few blocks from the center of town, it’s a minor miracle that the spacious restaurant has survived. But items such
more food after the classifieds section. page 47
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03.19.14-03.26.14
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more food before the classifieds section.
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PAGE 46
SARAh PRiESTAP
as cocoa-dusted petit filet Mignon and Caipirinha are strong draws. So is bartender Keith Troy Walsh, another transplant from the north. Walsh poured at American Flatbread Burlington Hearth before migrating to the Upper Valley with his wife. A bearded, booming presence behind the bar, he set us up with a pair of dessert wines (Eden Ice Cider Heirloom Blend and late-harvest Torrontés) while we awaited our next installment of small plates. And these were sweet ones: a bananas Foster bread pudding in rum-caramel sauce and an ice cream sandwich. By this point in our feasting, I couldn’t manage more than a few bites. With its motley mix of patrons and friendly, lateish-night vibe, Elixir seemed like the ideal place to end an evening in “Rio Blanco.” As we snacked and sipped, we watched concertgoers from Tupelo next door slip into the darkness beside the tracks, doing Lord knows what. It was people watching, WRJ style. m
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CONT iNuED FROM PA GE 4 5
University of Vermont researchers are conducting interviews of parents who feel their child age 10-16 is “addicted” to food as well as youth 10-16 who think they are “addicted” to food. The research study includes: • An interview for parent(s). • Youth will be interviewed, asked to complete 2 short questionnaires, and have their height and weight taken.
— A.L.
coNNEct
Cheesecake from Colombian Eats
Compensation $20 VISA card, each. Contact: foodaddict@uvm.edu or 802-656-3024, #4
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FOOD 47
Follow us on Twitter for the latest food gossip! corin Hirsch: @latesupper Alice Levitt: @aliceeats
SEVEN DAYS
veritable rainbow of cheeses, veggies and meats. Galloway says she also plans to find a source for guascas, the Colombian herb she needs to make ajiaco, her favorite warming chickenand-potato soup. If all goes well, by next winter she’ll be helping Vermonters fight the chill, Colombian style.
2/21/14 10:52 AM
03.19.14-03.26.14
a maple-cream sauce that she makes with PalmEr’s sugar HousE syrup. Palmer’s, located on the border of Hinesburg and Shelburne, is the first retail outlet to carry Colombian Eats’ cake, blanketed in Galloway’s cream sauce. The chef also takes private orders and is looking into summer farmers markets. Galloway says she hopes to soon have options for diners who don’t crave sweets. Within a year, she plans to sell arepas, flat corn cakes filled or topped with a
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Confection Perfection Little Sweets chef Andrew LeStourgeon has two winning equations for pastries B Y A l icE l EV i t t
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T
he dough is toothsome but tender, the filling spicy with cinnamon. Hen of the Wood chef Eric Warnstedt can’t stop raving about the sticky, glazed cinnamon buns from pastry chef Andrew LeStourgeon. “I try not to eat one of those cinnamon rolls every day. They’re so decadent, so rich,” he says. Luckily (or unluckily) for him, Warnstedt gets to indulge when the buns are hot out of the oven. Hen of the Wood owns Little Sweets, a line of LeStourgeon’s creations that it markets as its dessert brand. Each morning, LeStourgeon and his team prepare their buns at the Burlington Hen of the Wood and deliver them to Hotel Vermont, the Marriott Courtyard Burlington Harbor and Maglianero Café. By dinnertime, Little Sweets’ wares make their way to the Waterbury location of Warnstedt’s restaurant, along with cocktail components and some savory fare. Warnstedt and his team call LeStourgeon himself “little sweets” with irony-tinged affection — while he’s certainly sweet tempered, the 30-year-old redhead stands a far-from-little 6-foot-5. And when it comes to pastry, he’s no naïf. LeStourgeon adapted and perfected his cinnamon bun from the recipe he used when he worked at New York City’s Balthazar Restaurant, famous for its version. Such traditional crowd pleasers are half of Little Sweets’ winning equation. “The cinnamon bun is ‘one plus one is two,’” LeStourgeon explains. “People
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are expecting two as an answer. There’s real value in giving people what they’re expecting — what they had two years ago and what they want tomorrow.” But LeStourgeon also likes to offer customers what he calls Andrew LeStourgeon completes an opera cake at Hen of the Wood “one plus one equals three” — creations as amazing as they are unexpected. Caramelized brioche with bacon frangipane and rum-raisin ice pastry chef for his Fig & Olive chain in Newport Beach Fig & Olive last December cream certainly fits the bill. He says he 2006. The restaurant group currently has because he was so busy handling holiday learned to challenge people’s palates from six restaurants in New York and southern dining at Hen of the Wood. In Chicago, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the renowned California. When Halasz unveils another in he says, he’ll be on hand to train the staff French chef who tasted LeStourgeon’s fare Chicago this summer, LeStourgeon will be in preparing his interpretations of dishes at Balthazar and invited him to join his there. He still holds his title at Fig & Olive, from Halasz’s Mediterranean childhood, team at then-new restaurant Perry St. even as he supplies desserts to both Hen such as crème brûlée cheesecake with To explain the unorthodox equation, of the Wood restaurants, Juniper at Hotel caramelized peaches, and warm marzipan LeStourgeon cites a combination he’s cur- Vermont and the upcoming Bleu Northeast cake with olive-oil gelato. “His relentless rently working with: yuzu and Thai chile. Seafood at the Marriott. passion to invent flavor and create is amaz“When I tasted yuzu for the first time, I “He’s a true gem,” Halasz says of ing,” says Halasz. “He’s a great talent.” was like, ‘What? What is this?’” he remem- LeStourgeon by phone from Los Angeles. It may come as a surprise, then, to bers. The citrus fruit’s unique, tangy flavor “It’s wonderful for Vermont to have this hear that Halasz was supportive when combines heat and sweet to yield a whole wonderful person among your community. LeStourgeon took a Thoreau-esque turn greater than the sum of its parts, the chef Keep him as long as you can.” in 2012 and bought an off-the-grid cabin in says. “It makes you think on a new level: a So far, LeStourgeon has had little trou- Lincoln. “I told him, ‘That would be wonnew color you didn’t know about. A new ble balancing his two worlds. “They pay me derful for you,’” the restaurateur recalls. “It flavor combination equals a new experi- well to answer the phone and develop some was the right move for him. He likes this ence in the brain.” recipes,” he says of Fig & Olive, estimating type of nature and setting.” LeStourgeon says he fell in love with ex- that he devotes two to four hours a week A few months after his surprising real perimental food early in his tenure at Perry to what he considers a consulting job. He’s estate purchase, LeStourgeon decided to St, where he worked with “rock star” pastry credited as the pastry chef on Fig & Olive’s spend a long weekend in Vermont to wait chef Johnny Iuzzini. By the time he met his menu, but when he visits its kitchens, out Hurricane Sandy. With New York escurrent employer, Laurent Halasz, he had he says, he has the strange experience of sentially shut down, the chef ended up learned to balance the two equations. working with a staff he’s never met. staying longer than expected, and he realHalasz hired LeStourgeon as executive LeStourgeon missed the opening of the ized he might want to make Vermont his
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full-time home. On a whim, he answered remembers general manager Corey an ad seeking a pastry chef in Waterbury, Goldsmith. “She was really into Balthazar. a town he’d never heard of. The restaurant She didn’t know that was where Andrew had worked. When she tried them, she was Hen of the Wood. LeStourgeon’s résumé, which also was like, ‘Wow, these are a little bit familincludes a brief early stint working for iar. They remind me of Balthazar.’” Goldsmith says the pastries are just François Payard, was indubitably impressive. But Warnstedt looked at it with a what Maglianero needed, both in quality sober eye. “When people come to Vermont and price point. Daily deliveries include [from New York], they always look pretty crumbly, almond-topped maple Bostocks; good on paper because we don’t have a the famous cinnamon buns; and a savory lot of super-experienced people here,” he version of same, filled with ribbons of explains. “But there’s sometimes a deeper Hen of the Wood butcher Calvin Hayes’ reason that they’re leaving their job in the house-cured ham and melted Gruyère and Grafton Village cheddar. Smaller bites city.” LeStourgeon quickly proved to be the include several flavors of doughnuts and real deal. At the time, Hen of the Wood cookies. LeStourgeon typically delivers the didn’t have the luxury of employing a fulltime pastry chef, so LeStourgeon worked wares himself after he begins his day at 7 a.m. — a downright leisurely part-time until the Burlington start compared with classic location opened, six months bakers’ hours. Luckily, his after its originally planned “main girl on Little Sweets,” debut. Nicole Cootware, is happy to It was in Waterbury that get up at 2 a.m. to begin the LeStourgeon gradually perheavy lifting of each day’s fected what he now says is his bake, he says. favorite dessert at Hen of the Little Sweets’ relationship Wood: the opera cake. The with Maglianero is a symmany layers of hazelnut-andbiotic one: general manager almond sponge, chocolate ganache and maple butter L Au rE Nt HAL ASz, Goldsmith recently started making weekly visits to Hen Fig & oLi VE cream are moist with mapleof the Wood to help train emrum syrup, making it a sweet ployees in exemplary coffee unique to Vermont. A scoop of intense vanilla ice cream serves as foil to service. As LeStourgeon helps manage Little the darker flavors of chocolate and maple. Its creator’s understated description: “It’s Sweets and learns from the businessdriven Fig & Olive brand, he’s begun very likable.” LeStourgeon says that living in thinking about starting his own dessert Vermont hasn’t changed his general ap- company. “I’m almost ready for a business proach, but local ingredients have made of my own,” he says. “I’m not yet. I have their way into his desserts. He’s beguiled some things in myself that I need to iron by crab apples, which he compares in out. We all have demons, and there are a their singularity to yuzu, kaffir lime and couple left in me that I need to get to know caramelized white chocolate. He uses the a little bit better before I ask somebody for miniature apples paired with honey in a quarter of a million dollars.” LeStourgeon says he dreams of a multisorbet or serves them roasted alongside tiny glazed doughnuts, which he based unit business model that would showcase on ones he bought from an elderly Indian the best of his dual loves: New York City and Vermont. As much as he misses the street vendor in New York. Little Sweets has infiltrated the two easy access to anything he craves in the Westport Hospitality hotels adjacent big city, LeStourgeon says he’s found into Hen of the Wood: Juniper serves dispensable boons in his new home. Those LeStourgeon’s uncommonly smooth ice include bountiful farms, his tiny solarcreams and other desserts, as will Bleu. powered cabin with no running water The company stocks counters at both and his devoted staff, which has learned hotels, and petite rotating packages of to appreciate his rotation of Broadway financiers, brownies, shortbread cookies cast albums in the kitchen. (Rent is his and caramels have replaced the typical favorite.) Warnstedt expresses doubt that he turndown-service chocolates. Three Tomatoes Trattoria in Williston could help LeStourgeon open a bakery in and Burlington’s nika used to purvey the near future, given all he has on his plate Little Sweets, too. Now that those res- with his two restaurants. Halasz says he’ll taurants have closed, the only place support LeStourgeon in any way he can. other than Cherry Street to score a hit “He should have a pastry shop of his own. of LeStourgeon’s pastries is Burlington He is so talented,” says the restaurateur. We can only hope that, when it hapcoffee shop Maglianero. Hen of the Wood cook Owen Spence is pens, LeStourgeon’s flagship location will the one who proposed that Little Sweets be in the Green Mountains, where the supply the Maple Street café, where he’s quirky pâtissier fits like a streusel-topped a regular customer. When LeStourgeon blueberry muffin in its pan. “He’s a freak,” Warnstedt says. “I love brought samples, Maglianero co-owner Giovanna Jager was bowled over, him.” So do Vermont diners. m
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WED.19
agriculture
David Cobb: The master gardener lends his expertise to a discussion of soil, seed starting and more in "Ready, Set, Grow!" Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History, Middlebury, 1 p.m. $5; free for members. Info, 388-2117.
business
Kelley Marketing Meeting: Marketing, advertising, communications, social media and design professionals brainstorm ideas for local nonprofits over breakfast. Room 217, Ireland Building, Champlain College, Burlington, 7:45-9 a.m. Free. Info, 865-6495. Project Management Institute: Champlain Valley Chapter Meeting: Catherine Hamilton of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont shares her expertise with area professionals in "Health Care Reform: From Vision to Reality." Doubletree Hotel, South Burlington, 5:30 p.m. $30-40; preregister. Info, 735-5359. Women Business Owners Network: Burlington Chapter Meeting: "Business Building Brainstorm!" helps area professionals address nagging problems with fast-paced feedback sessions. Holiday Inn, South Burlington, 11:30 a.m.1:30 p.m. $17-20; preregister. Info, 503-0219.
community
conferences
Global Issues Network Conference: Keynoter Kristin Carlson joins high school students in an exploration of pressing topics and possible local, regional and international solutions. Rutland High School, registration, 8-8:45 a.m.; conference, 9 a.m.3 p.m. Free. Info, 770-1071.
SEVEN DAYS
03.19.14-03.26.14
dance
'Method': Live sound by Sean Clute accompanies dancers in this DOUBLE VISION production about societal structures, choreographed by Pauline Jennings. Dibden Center for the Arts, Johnson State College, 8 p.m. Free. Info, 635-1408.
etc.
Lip Balms: Skye Ellicock presents time-tested formulas for creating soothing salves. City Market, Burlington, 5:30-6:30 p.m. $5-10; preregister at citymarket.coop; limited space. Info, 861-9700.
Valley Night Featuring Chicky Stoltz: Locals gather for this weekly bash of craft ales, movies and live music. Big Picture Theater and Café, Waitsfield, 8 p.m. $5 suggested donation; $2 drafts. Info, 496-8994.
fairs & festivals
Global Studies & STEM Fair: Students showcase work with a specific focus on international affairs and science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Rutland High School, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 770-1071.
film
Community Cinema: 'Medora': Andrew Cohn and Davy Rothbart's acclaimed documentary follows the journey of a basketball team in an economically depressed Indiana town. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 748-2600.
food & drink
Wednesday Wine Down: Oenophiles get over the midweek hump by pairing four varietals with samples from Lake Champlain Chocolates, Cabot Creamery and more. Drink, Burlington, 4:30 p.m. $12. Info, 860-9463, melissashahady@vtdrink.com.
games
Bridge Club: Players put their strategies to the test in the popular card game. Burlington Bridge Club, Williston, 9:15 a.m. $6 includes refreshments. Info, 651-0700. Games Unplugged: Ben t. Matchstick leads players ages 8 through 18 in a wide variety of board games, including Ticket to Ride, Settlers of Catan and more. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338. Wii Gaming: Players show off their physical gaming skills. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6955.
health & fitness
Montréal-Style Acro Yoga: Using partner and group work, Lori Flower guides participants through poses that combine acrobatics with therapeutic benefits. Yoga Mountain Center, Montpelier, 6:307:30 p.m., Donations. Info, 324-1737.
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MAR.21 & 22 | DANCE
The Presence Point: Cultivating Embodiment & Engaging in the Creative Process: Shambhala Buddhist practitioner Sarah Lipton leads a meditation practice aimed at exploring different aspects of creativity. Bradford Public Library, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 222-4536. WED.19
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Fancy Footwork
Freedom & Unity: The Vermont Movie: Part 5: "Ceres' Children" explores the state's history of farming and independence — including grassroots democracy and the protection of natural resources. Vermont State House, Montpelier, 5:15 p.m. Free. Info, 649-3242.
you can also email us at calendar@sevendaysvt.com. to be listed, yoU MUST include the name of event, a brief description, specific location, time, cost and contact phone number.
YOUR SCAN THIS PAGE CALENDAR EVENTS IN SEVEN DAYS: TEXT WITH LAYAR Listings and spotlights are written by courtney copp. SEVEN DAYS edits for space and style. Depending on cost and other factors, classes and workshops may be HERE SEE PROGRAM COVER listed in either the Calendar or the Classes section. When appropriate, class organizers may be asked to purchase a Class listing.
COURTESY OF BENJAMIN WARDELL
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Community Dinner: Diners get to know their neighbors at a low-key, buffet-style meal organized by the Winooski Coalition. A garden kickoff hosted by the Winooski Community Gardens follows. O'Brien Community Center, Winooski, 5:30-7 p.m. Free; children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult; transportation available for seniors. Info, 655-4565.
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COURTESY OF LUIS CASTILLA FOTOGRAFIA
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MAR.26 | DANCE
A
COURTESY OF DEVIN DOBBINS
Israel Galván Wednesday, March 26, 7 p.m.; see website for future dates, at Moore Theater, Hopkins Center, Dartmouth College, in Hanover, N.H. $17-40. Info, 603-646-2422. hop.dartmouth.edu
Friday, March 21, 7 p.m., at Alexander Twilight Theatre, Lyndon State College. $14-29. Info, 748-2600. kingdomcounty.org. Also Saturday, March 22, 8 p.m., at Flynn MainStage in Burlington. $15-36. Info, 863-5966. flynntix.org
COURTESY OF PAUL WRIGHT
Saturday, March 22, 8 p.m., at Town Hall Theater in Middlebury. $25-27. Info, 388-0216. afterdarkmusicseries.com
Musical Melting Pot Hailing from Toronto by way of Trinidad, Drew Gonsalves has a love for calypso that spans cultures and continents. The founder and front man of Kobo Town honors his musical heritage with a tribute to the syncopated rhythms of his youth. Incorporating diverse influences that range from big-band hits and jazz to funk and disco, the ensemble blends skilled instrumentation with polished production. Undeniably catchy, the resulting mashup informs the acclaimed Independence and the recently released Jumbie in the Jukebox. Rich with social commentary and an indie-rock sensibility, these nods to folkloric tunes of the past assure their place in the future.
MAR.21 | MUSIC
Kobo Town Friday, March 21, 7:30 p.m., at Southwick Hall Ballroom, UVM, Redstone Campus, in Burlington. $15-22. Info, 863-5966. flynntix.org
CALENDAR 51
Lucky Plush
Chris Smither
SEVEN DAYS
In the face of reality television and an ever-evolving dependency on screen time, Lucky Plush Productions dance theater presents Cinderbox 2.0. Humorous and thought-provoking, this complex consideration of contemporary culture reflects the award-winning troupe’s gift for tackling sensitive subject matter with intelligence and unpredictability. Deemed “a shrewd and witty commentary on recovering the humanity from an increasingly manufactured way of life” by the Chicago Tribune, the piece blurs the line between the audience and performers. This shared space creates a hyper-realized world in which modern media’s voyeuristic tendencies leave an unsettling wake.
Chris Smither says of his finger-picked guitar style that it’s “one third Lightnin’ Hopkins, one third Mississippi John Hurt and one third me.” Having maintained this approach to the acoustic blues for the past 40 years, the singersongwriter shuns slick studio tricks in favor of pared-down songs driven by his distinct, raspy voice. Distilling the essence of his New Orleans roots and the 1960s folk scene into a sound all his own, Smither remains accessible to a multigenerational fan base. With 15 albums to his name, the time-tested talent shows no signs of slowing down.
03.19.14-03.26.14
Plugged In
MAR.22 | MUSIC
Less Is More
SEVENDAYSvt.com
s a boy, Israel Galván dreamt of becoming a soccer player. But in 1994, the then 21-year-old son of celebrated flamenco dancers found himself drawn to the family profession. These days, the native of Seville, Spain, is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost flamenco practitioners. Interweaving new gestures and rhythmic patterns with traditional steps, the award-winning dancer presents his signature work, La Edad de Oro (The Golden Age). Accompanied by a singer and a guitarist on an otherwise bare stage, Galván elevates the genre with a stylistic hybrid that the Daily Express claims “propels him into the league of genius.”
calendar R.I.P.P.E.D.: Resistance, intervals, power, plyometrics, endurance and diet define this high-intensity physical-fitness program. North End Studio A, Burlington, 6-7 p.m. $10. Info, 578-9243.
kids
Count Me In! Exploring Math With Your Preschooler: Hands-on activities introduce mathematic concepts to little ones and help them develop a love of learning. An optional pizza dinner precedes the workshop at 5:15 p.m. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 5:45-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-4918. Highgate Story Hour: Kiddos share readaloud tales and wiggles and giggles with Mrs. Liza. Highgate Public Library, 11:15 a.m. Free. Info, 868-3970. Meet Rockin' Ron the Friendly Pirate: Aargh, matey! Youngsters channel the hooligans of the sea with music, games and activities. Buttered Noodles, Williston, 10-10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 764-1810. Moving & Grooving With Christine: Two- to 5-year-olds jam out to rock-and-roll and world-beat tunes. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 865-7216.
SEVENDAYSvt.com 03.19.14-03.26.14 SEVEN DAYS
The Dish: A Series for Inquisitive Eaters: UVM's Joe Speidel moderates a panel of farmers and food industry professionals, with a focus on local meat. A Q&A follows. ArtsRiot, Burlington, 5:30-7 p.m. $5 suggested donation benefits the Intervale Center; preregister; cash bar. Info, 861-9700. Florian Osswald: Referencing 30 years in math and technology, the educational consultant presents "Face-toFace: Teaching Teenagers What They Really Need to Know." Lake Champlain Waldorf School, Shelburne, 7 p.m., Donations. Info, 985-2827, kdt@lakechamplainwaldorfschool.org.
Public Debate: Age of Consent for Cochlear Implants: UVM's Lawrence Debate Union hosts an examination of the topic by deaf and hearing participants. American Sign Language Interpreters provided. John Dewey Lounge, Old Mill Building, UVM, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 777-4517, rwhite8@uvm.edu.
Youth Creative Writing Workshop: Wordsmiths in grades 4 and up unleash their imaginations with prompts, games and other exercises. Essex Free Library, 3:30 p.m. Free. Info, 879-0313.
language
theater
Introductory Spanish Class: Students learn the most effective ways to master language skills en español. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 275-2694, elissa@expressfluency.com.
Farmers Night Concert Series: Burlington's Taiko Drummers keep the beat in a spirited performance. Vermont Statehouse, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 540-1784. Keb' Mo': A solo acoustic show highlights the Grammy Award winner's gift for storytelling and love of the Delta blues. Lebanon Opera House, N.H., 7:30 p.m. $52.50-62.50. Info, 603-448-0400. Song Circle: Community Sing-along: Rich and Laura Atkinson lead an evening of vocal expression. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 6:45 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.
seminars
Plant & Planetary Rhythms: Herbalist Emily Wheeler discusses the benefits of biodynamic planting and how the Earth's vegetation connects to celestial cycles. Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, Montpelier, 6-8 p.m. $10-12; preregister. Info, 224-7100.
American Red Cross Blood Drive: Folks part with life-saving pints. SHAPE Fitness Center, Johnson State College, noon-5 p.m. Free. Info, 635-1664. Full Circle Festival Preview: Ladies join choreographer and multimedia artist Lida Winfield, who excerpts Dawn to Dusk, then leads an exploration of women's self image. Marilyn's, Burlington, 5:306:30 p.m. Free. Info, 658-4050. Tech Tutor Program: Local teens answer questions about computers and devices during drop-in sessions. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 3-6 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.
fairs & festivals
Castleton College Career & Graduate School Fair: Students looking for employment and educaMusicians for Musicians Panel tion opportunities discover a wide F LA CH Discussion: Joe Adler and Patrick range of options. Spartan Athletic KE FS CH OR AMP Fitzsimmons share their experiences in Complex, Castleton State College, 11:30 L A I N WA L D "Getting Music 'Pressed' and Out There." Main a.m. & 1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 468-1339, renee. Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, beauprewhite@castleton.edu. 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, 865-1140.
Susanne Freidberg: The Dartmouth College professor of geography considers how the freshness of food relates to the technology used to preserve it. Fleming Museum, UVM, Burlington, 6 p.m. $3-5; free for local college students, faculty and staff with ID. Info, 656-0750.
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Daniel Mark Fogel: The UVM English professor and Henry James scholar considers creative connections in "Jamesian Illumination of Sargent's World: The Art of Fiction and the Fictions of Art." Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.
AARP Tax Prep Assistance: Tax counselors straighten up financial affairs for low- and middleincome taxpayers, with special attention to those ages 60 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 9:15, 10, 10:45 & 11 a.m. Free; preregister for a time slot. Info, 878-6955.
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Story Time for 3- to 5-Year-Olds: Preschoolers stretch their reading skills through activities involving puppets and books. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.
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Brandon Mazur: The literature teacher examines the influence of the Civil War on Walt Whitman's poetry. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 748-8291.
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Story Time & Playgroup: Engaging narratives pave the way for creative play for kiddos up to age 6. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.
talks
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Read to Coco: Budding bookworms share words with the licensed reading-therapy dog. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 223-4665.
EXPLORE Pulmonary Conference: Inhale, exhale. Health care professionals and students address various aspects of respiratory care. Angell College Center, SUNY Plattsburgh, N.Y., 7:30 a.m.4:45 p.m. $50-125. Info, 518-564-3054.
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Read to a Dog: Lit lovers take advantage of quality time with a friendly, fuzzy therapy pooch. Fairfax Community Library, 3:15-4:15 p.m. Free; preregister for a time slot. Info, 849-2420.
conferences
Green Mountain Table Tennis Club: Ping-pong players swing their paddles in singles and doubles matches. Knights of Columbus, Rutland, 6-9:30 p.m. Free for first two sessions; $30 annual membership. Info, 247-5913.
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Music & Movement With Lesley Grant: The local musician leads tykes ages 3 through 5 in an exploration of song, dance and basic musical elements. River Arts Center, Morrisville, 10 a.m. $5. Info, 888-1261.
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'Good People': Carol Dunne directs this Northern Stage production of David Lindsay Abaire's Tony Award-winning drama about high school sweethearts who reunite decades later under less-thanideal circumstances. Briggs Opera House, White River Junction, 7:30 p.m. $10-60. Info, 296-7000. 'Venus in Fur': Vermont Stage Company presents David Ives' comedic tale of love, lust and literature featuring an unorthodox young actress. FlynnSpace, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $28.80-37.50. Info, 863-5966.
words
Creative Writing Workshop: Wordsmiths develop their craft in a supportive environment. Studio 266, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 383-8104. Mud Season Book Sale: Bookworms select new reads from thousands of titles. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.
THU.20
agriculture
Soil 101: Dig in! Mike Ather shares strategies for creating and maintaining productive garden plots. Gardener’s Supply: Williston Garden Center & Outlet, noon-12:45 p.m. Free. Info, 658-2433.
film
'The Broken Circle Breakdown': A couple must reconcile their opposing religious beliefs when their daughter falls ill in Felix Van Groeningen's acclaimed 2012 drama. Film House, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7 p.m. $5-8. Info, 660-2600. 'Muscle Shoals': Greg "Freddy" Camalier's documentary features Keith Richards and other notable musicians, who worked with hit maker Rick Hall of FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Ala. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 7 p.m. $6-8. Info, 748-2600. UVM Film Series: 'Fast, Cheap & Out of Control': A gardener, a retired lion tamer, a robotics designer and a man fascinated with mole rats cross paths in Errol Morris' unconventional documentary. Billings-Ira Allen Lecture Hall, UVM, Burlington, prescreening lecture, 6 p.m.; film, 6:45 p.m. $4-10. Info, 656-4455.
health & fitness
Eating For Energy: Fed up with food comas? Health coach Kimberly Sargeant presents tasty fare that increases vitality. Community Room, Hunger Mountain Coop, Montpelier, 6-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 223-8000, ext. 202. Forza: The Samurai Sword Workout: Students sculpt lean muscles and gain mental focus when performing basic strikes with wooden replicas of the weapon. North End Studio A, Burlington, 6-7 p.m. $10. Info, 578-9243.
kids
Crafternoon With Nicole: Budding artists make a garden gnome collage with local artist Nicole Vance. Fairfax Community Library, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 849-2420. Music With Derek: Movers and groovers up to age 8 shake their sillies out to toe-tapping tunes. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 764-1810. Music With Mr. Chris: Singer, storyteller and puppeteer Chris Dorman entertains tykes and parents alike. Buttered Noodles, Williston, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 764-1810.
Newt Night: Budding scientists and naturalistsat-heart learn about North Branch Nature Center's Amphibian Monitoring Program. For ages 5 and up. Phoenix Books Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 448-3350. Origami Club: Kim Smith helps artists in grades 3 and up transform paper into three-dimensional creations. Younger children welcomed with an adult. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 3-4 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338. Read With Arlo: Bookworms pore over pages with the therapy dog and his owner, Brenda. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 4-5 p.m. Free; preregister for a 20-minute time slot. Info, 223-3338. Spanish Musical Kids: Amigos ages 1 to 5 learn Latin American songs and games with Constancia Gómez, a native Argentinian. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Free. Info, 865-7216.
language
Beginner Spanish Lessons: Newcomers develop basic competency en español. 57 Charlotte Street, Burlington, 6:30-8 p.m. $20. Info, 324-1757.
lgbtq
'The New Black': Yoruba Richen's award-winning documentary travels from church pews to city streets to examine gay rights issues in the African American community. A panel discussion follows. Merrill's Roxy Cinema, Burlington, 7 p.m. $12. Info, 865-9677, howie@outrightvt.org.
seminars
Powerful Tools for Caregivers: Kate Krieder and Wendy Bombard of the VNA cover self-care topics relevant to those responsible for the medical needs of their family members. Meeting Room, Williston Town Hall, 6-7:30 p.m. $30 suggested donation; preregister. Info, 658-1900, ext. 3903, lecompte@vnacares.org. Race Matters Workshop: Goma Mabika leads an engaging exploration of health care as it relates to racism. Community Room, O'Brien Community Center, Winooski, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 338-4633, volunteer@uscrivt.org. The Reemerging Green: Spring Wild Crafting, Herbal Medicines & the Plant/ Human Relationship: Graham UnangstRufenacht leads an exploration of the healing properties of season vegetation. Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, Montpelier, 6-8 p.m. $10-12; preregister. Info, 224-7100.
sports
Harlem Superstars: The comedy basketball team matches up against St. Johnsbury Academy's all-star team in a dribble fest that encourages audience participation. Alumni Memorial Gymnasium, St. Johnsbury Academy, 6:30 p.m. $10. Info, 748-2600.
talks
Lunch & Learn: In the narrated slide show "A Stranger in a Stranger Land," Susan Katz Saitoh recounts several decades spent living in Japan. Ohavi Zedek Synagogue, Burlington, noon-5 p.m. Free. Info, 863-4214. Rozenn Bailleul-LeSuer: The Egyptology doctoral candidate considers avian artifacts in "Winged Jewels of the Nile: Birds in Ancient Egypt." Room 413, UVM Waterman Building, Burlington, 4-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 656-3210. Third Thursday Lecture Series: Joseph Mender examines the life and legacy of Mormonism founder Joseph Smith and his successor, Brigham Young. Vermont History Museum, Montpelier, noon1 p.m. Free; bring a bag lunch. Info, 828-2180. Transition Town Montpelier: 'Nature Awareness Through Survival and Primitive Skills': Brad Salon and Sarah Corrigan of the Roots School tap into ancient practices with an exploration of tracking, archery and more. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 6-7:45 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.
liSt Your EVENt for frEE At SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT
theater
'ChiCago, the MusiCal': A dazzling score by John Kander and Fred Ebb drives this satire about corruption and America's obsession with celebrity culture. Chazy Central Rural School, N.Y., 7:30 p.m. $15. Info, 518-846-6840, cmt@chazymusictheatre.org. 'good PeoPle': See WED.19, 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m.
film
green Mountain filM festiVal: This 17th annual cinematic celebration delights moviegoers with a diverse lineup of films and presentations by distinguished guests. See gmffestival.org for details. Various locations, Montpelier, 6-11:30 p.m., Prices vary. Info, 262-3423.
'Man of la ManCha': An imprisoned Miguel de Cervantes must act out Don Quixote to save the work from destruction in the Broadway National Tour of this Tony Award-winning musical. Flynn MainStage, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $25-75. Info, 863-5966.
'the suMMer of Walter haCks': Faced with a tragedy, an 11-year-old boy must grow up fast in George Woodward's 1950s coming-of-age drama. A Q&A with the director and producer follows. Monkton Central School, 7:30 p.m. $5 suggested donation. Info, 453-6067.
'the sPitfire grill' WorkshoP: Music director Joel Mercier and actor Amanda Ryan-Paige discuss the artistic and production processes behind the Northern Stage production. A Q&A follows. Hartford Library, 6-7 p.m. Free. Info, 291-9009, ext. 126.
food & drink
'urinetoWn, the MusiCal': The UVM Department of Theatre stages the dystopian Tony Awardwinning satire that tackles everything from capitalism to Broadway shows. Royall Tyler Theatre, UVM, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $10-21. Info, 656-2094. 'Venus in fur': See WED.19.
words
harVey aMani Whitfield: Shedding new light on the state's constitution, the UVM historian excerpts The Problem of Slavery in Early Vermont 1777-1810. Athenaeum Hall, St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 748-8291.
saratoga oliVe oil CoMPany 2nd anniVersary CeleBration: Foodies nosh on cupcakes amid a wide array of artisan products at this tasty fête. Saratoga Olive Oil Company, Burlington, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 489-5276. Wonderful Wing night: The men's auxiliary hosts a smorgasbord of this favorite finger food in flavor variations that please every palate. Live music by Leno & Young follows. VFW Post, Essex Junction, 5:30-7 p.m. $4-7. Info, 878-0700.
Bridge CluB: See WED.19, 10 a.m.
health & fitness
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'the Blissful unknoWn' Cd release Party: Pianist William Michael Maisel makes the ivory keys dance with classical and jazz improvisations. Richmond Free Library, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 434-3036.
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laughter CluB: Breathe, clap, chant and ... giggle! Participants decrease stress with this playful practice. Bring personal water. The Wellness Co-op, Burlington, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 999-7373.
BallrooM & latin danCing: Samir Elabd leads choreographed steps for singles and couples. No partner or experience required. Jazzercize Studio, Williston, introductory lesson, 7-8 p.m.; dance, 8-10 p.m. $14. Info, 862-2269.
yoga Consult: Yogis looking to refine their practice get helpful tips. Fusion Studio Yoga & Body Therapy, Montpelier, 11 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 272-8923.
linColn Peak CaBaret: Fred Barnes and Sarah Stone perform love songs and standards from the 1940s to today. Limited parking; carpooling encouraged. Lincoln Peak Vineyard, New Haven, 6-8 p.m. Free; wine available by the glass. Info, 388-7368.
luCky Plush: The Chicago-based troupe meld humor with biting commentary on contemporary culture in Cinderbox 2.0. See calendar spotlight. Alexander Twilight Theatre, Lyndon State College, 7:30 p.m. $14-29. Info, 748-2600.
salsa danCe soCial: Movers and groovers practice their steps in a mix of ballroom, swing, tango and more. Jazzercize Studio, Williston, lesson, 7-8 p.m.; dance, 8-10 p.m. $8-14. Info, 862-2269.
BoB klein retireMent CeleBration: Congressman Peter Welch joins local conservationists to honor the director of the Vermont Chapter of the Nature Conservancy. Governor's Ballroom, Capitol Plaza Hotel & Conference Center, Montpelier, 4-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 229-4425, ext. 120.
kids
aCorn CluB story tiMe: Little ones up to age 6 gather for read-aloud tales. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 748-8291. Crafternoon: Students in grades 4 through 8 convene for a creative session. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956. early Bird Math: Inquisitive minds explore mathematic concepts with books, songs, games and activities. Richmond Free Library, 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 434-3036. friday nights for teen tinkerers: Creative thinkers in grades 6 through 9 tap into their imaginations and tackle a design-build project. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 6:30-8 p.m. $8-10. Info, 649-2200.
presents AT BURLINGTON Saturday Story Time Every Saturday at 11am
March THU 20 NEWT NIGHT 6:30pm Calling all budding scientists, concerned citizens, and naturalists-at-heart! Ages 5 and up. RSVPs recommended.
SAT 29 JAMES KOCHALKA: 2pm THE GLORKIAN
WARRIOR DELIVERS A PIZZA Outer-space adventures! A talking backpack! A book launch! All ages welcome.
PasCal geMMe & yann falquet: Rooted in North American and European folk cultures, the Montréalbased musicians interweave vocal harmonies with fiddle tunes and guitar arrangements. Burlington Violin Shop, 6 p.m. $20 suggested donation. Info, 233-5293. quéBéCois fiddle WorkshoP: Pascal Gemme of Montréal's Genticorum shares tips and techniques with string players. Burlington Violin Shop, 4 p.m. $20; preregister; limited space. Info, 233-5293.
sports
lake ChaMPlain CoMMunity sailing Center sPring sChuss: Skiers and riders of all ages and abilities hit the slopes as teams or as individuals at this benefit for the LCCSC. An après ski party follows. Bolton Valley Resort, 4 p.m. $25-30. Info, 864-2499.
talks
MagiC: the gathering: Decks of cards determine the arsenal with which participants, or "planeswalkers," fight others for glory, knowledge and conquest. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 6-8 p.m. Free; for grades 6 and up. Info, 878-6956.
Britta tonn: The architectural historian explores dynamic designs in "Lost Burlington: Remembering the Queen City's Bygone Structures, Part II." Faith United Methodist Church, South Burlington, 2 p.m. $5. Info, 864-3516.
MusiC With derek: Movers and groovers up to age 8 shake their sillies out to toe-tapping tunes. Buttered Noodles, Williston, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 764-1810.
John lent: From Antarctica to South America, the runner goes the distance in "A Marathoner's Quest for Seven Continents." A Q&A follows. Community Room, Bixby Memorial Library, Vergennes, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 877-2211.
3/17/14 3:16 PM
April THU 10 POETRY FEST 7pm Celebrate National Poetry Month with Leland Kinsey, Daniel Lusk, Kerrin McCadden, and Angela Patten.
THU 17 GREEN WRITERS PRESS 7pm CELEBRATION PARTY
Meet Dede Cummings, the publisher behind GWP, and authors from the new press. We’ll also launch The Beavers of Popple’s Pond, by Patti A. Smith.
SAT 19 2-4pm FRI 25 7pm
POETRY SOCIETY OF VERMONT READING BAIRD HERSEY: THE PRACTICE OF NADA YOGA Still the body, quiet the mind, and open the heart to create a state of mind where joy naturally arises.
WED 30 EDUCATORS’ APPRECIATION 4-6pm WEEKEND KICK-OFF
Teachers and librarians are invited to join us for giveaways, drawings, light fare, and more!
191 Bank Street, Downtown Burlington • 802.448.3350 21 Essex Way, Essex • 802.872.7111
FRI.21
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www.phoenixbooks.biz
CALENDAR 53
CouPon queen darBy MayVille: Savvy savers swap and share circular clippings. Main Reading Room, Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.
Information:
books@theEloquentPage.com or call 802-527-7243 www.VermontIsBookCountry.com
SEVEN DAYS
etc.
Presented by the Vermont Antiquarian Booksellers Association
03.19.14-03.26.14
queen City tango PraCtilonga: Dancers kick off the weekend with improvisation, camaraderie and laughter. No partner necessary, but clean, smooth-soled shoes required. North End Studio B, Burlington, beginner lesson, 7-7:45 p.m.; informal dancing, 7:30-10 p.m. $7. Info, 877-6648.
Admission $5, under 16 free 30+ dealers in Rare Books, Prints, Maps & Ephemera
SEVENDAYSVt.com
koBo toWn: Calypso-Indie fusion meets insightful lyrics and infectious melodies in an energetic show. See calendar spotlight. UVM Southwick Ballroom, Redstone Campus, Burlington, pre-performance lecture, 6:30 p.m.; concert, 7:30 p.m. $15-22. Info, 863-5966.
dance
Sunday, March 23rd •10am - 4pm Sheraton Hotel, Burlington (I-89, Exit 14W)
ian, CouPles Counseling & ViCtoria franCes: Area musicians deliver an evening of rock, electronic and ambient noise. Sovversiva Open Space, Montpelier, 7 p.m. $5 suggested donation. Info, 207-449-7991.
introduCtion to kundalini yoga: Laura Manfred leads students ages 12 and up in warm-up exercises and meditation aimed at cultivating awareness. Community Room, Hunger Mountain Coop, Montpelier, 6-7:30 p.m. $3-5; preregister. Info, 223-8000, ext. 202.
toM greene: The Vermont College of Fine Arts president signs and discusses The Headmaster's Wife. A reception follows. College Hall Gallery, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 828-8734.
Vermont Antiquarian Book & Ephemera Fair
deB Brisson & the hay Burners: Backed by 12v-vtantiquarianbooks031914.indd 1 her band, the vocalist moves effortlessly between rock, folk and country selections from Heart Shaped Stone. A dance party featuring local musicians follows. Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 8 p.m. $15; cash bar. Info, 382-9222.
games
adult yoga Class: YogaFit instructor Jessica Frost incorporates traditional fitness moves into stretching and breathing exercises. Cafeteria, Highgate Elementary School, 7 p.m. $7; preregister. Info, 868-3970.
songs & stories With MattheW: Matthew Witten helps children start the day with tunes and tales of adventure. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.
BriCk ChurCh MusiC series: Atlantic Crossing get audience members to their feet with traditional New England tunes and acoustic instrumentals. The Irregulars open. Proceeds benefit the Vermont Community Garden Network. Old Brick Church, Williston, 7 p.m. $8-12. Info, 764-1141.
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tal Birdsey: North Branch School's cofounder reads from Living School: A Teacher's Notebook. Vermont Folklife Center, Middlebury, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 388-4964.
fish fry: Neighbors catch up over a spread of golden-battered haddock, baked potato, coleslaw, veggies and dessert. Barton Memorial Building, 5-7 p.m. $5.95-9.95; takeout available. Info, 525-6578.
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Mud season Book sale: See WED.19.
MusiC With roBert: Music lovers of all ages join sing-alongs with Robert Resnik. Daycare programs welcome with one caregiver for every two children. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10:30-11 a.m. Free; groups must preregister. Info, 865-7216.
yoga story tiMe With Chrissy lefaVour: Chrissy from Studio Zenith leads mini yogis and their adult companions in playful poses. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.
CO U
JP Choquette: The local writer considers her craft in a discussion of her suspense novels Epidemic and Dark Circle. Fairfax Community Library, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 849-2420.
21st Annual
LEVEL II:
FRI, April 4, 12-3pm OR FRI, May 2, 12-3pm OR SAT, April 5, 10-1pm SAT, May 3, 10-1pm
REGISTER for
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5 MINUTES A DAY improves focus and reduces stress.
~ Helen-Anne Cafferty, Smilie Memorial School, Bolton, Vermont
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'ChiCago, the MusiCal': See THU.20. 'good PeoPle': See WED.19.
'hiCk in the hood: a verMont boy in West oakland': Middlebury-native-turnedcommunity Hollywood-actor Michael hollabaCk! Plattsburgh Sommers embodies 30 differON TI Fundraiser: Taylor LaValley, Sarah CO ent characters in this solo show NA U RT ES Y O F LO ST Mundy and Dancerson provide live about urban life lessons. For adults only. tunes at this benefit for the organization Montpelier City Hall Auditorium, 7:30 p.m. $15-20. committed to ending street harassment. Koffee Info, 229-0492. Kat, Plattsburgh N.Y., 7-9 p.m., Donations. Info, 'Man oF la ManCha': See THU.20, Paramount 518-310-0659. Theatre, Rutland, 8 p.m. $40.50-49.50. Info, huntington sugar Makers oPen house: A 775-0903. tour of local sugaring operations grants locals acPaul raMsay: The stage hypnotist reimagines cess to sap-boiling demos and a wide array of his craft in the audience-interactive tasty maple products. Various locations, show "Mind Games." Bentley Hall, Huntington, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, Johnson State College, 8 p.m. Free. 434-3269. Info, 635-1476. PittsFord Food shelF oPen 'urinetoWn, the MusiCal': house: Locals learn about the orCastleton Theater Arts presents ganization's goal of raising $35,000 the Tony Award-winning social in funds and nonperishable donasatire about citizens versus corpotions as part of the Feinstein Million rations. Casella Theater, Castleton Dollar Food Challenge. Pittsford State College, 7 p.m. $10-15. Info, Food Shelf, 9 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, F NE 468-1119. ON 483-2967. EN T E RTAIN M E NT 'urinetoWn, the MusiCal': See WoMen helPing battered WoMen THU.20. ZuMbathon: 'groove is in the heart!': Folks 'venus in Fur': See WED.19. break a sweat to Latin rhythms at this fundraiser for domestic abuse victims and survivors words in Chittenden County. Memorial Auditorium, Burlington, 5 p.m. $35; free with $100 in funds art & author night: Mary Blake displays drawraised. Info, 658-3131, ext. 1077, zumba@whbw.org. ings and paintings in "Imaginary Animals," followed by Amy Belding Brown, who excerpts the forthcomconferences ing Flight of the Sparrow. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581. PerioPerative nursing ConFerenCe: Workshops and presentations cover wide-ranging broWn bag book Club: Bookworms voice opintopics from pain management and robotic surgery ions about Robert Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange to herbal medicine and acupuncture. Davis Land. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, Auditorium, Medical Education Center Pavilion, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918. Fletcher Allen Health Care, Burlington, 7:30 a.m.Creative Writing WorkshoP: See WED.19, 4:15 p.m. $25-85; preregister. Info, 847-4926, lori. 10:30 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. preston@vtmednet.org. Mud season book sale: See WED.19, 10 a.m.5:30 p.m.
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verMont artisan trunk shoW: 'MaPle Madness edition': Prints, pottery, photography and more are on display at this celebration of handcrafted wares. Norman Williams Public Library, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, 291-1332.
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'Cabin Fever Follies': Folks kick the winter blues with a cabaret-style variety show featuring singing, dancing, comedy and more. Personal food and drink encouraged. Valley Players Theater, Waitsfield, 7:30 p.m. $10; preregister for four or more tickets. Info, 583-1674.
ukrainian egg Painting deMo: Theresa Somerset creates elaborate works of art using the ancient wax-resist technique Pysanka. Art on Main, Bristol, noon-2 p.m. Free. Info, 453-4032.
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15% OFF
Applies to special orders and in-stock mattresses. Sale ends Sunday March 30.
tulsi tales: Storytellers welcome the spring with seasonal stories, poems and songs. Tulsi Tea Room, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 223-1431. Word!CraFt: exPeriMental art rhyMes: Wordsmiths sound off to beats by DJ Crunchee at this mashup of hip-hop and original verse inspired by "Spring." Dunbar Hall, Sterling College, Craftsbury Common, registration, 7:30-8 p.m.; spoken word, 8-9 p.m.; hip-hop, 9-10 p.m.; dance party, 10 p.m.-midnight Free. Info, 755-6336, mcmycelium74@gmail.com.
sat.22
Grab the kids and try our ECHO Package, including accommodations, breakfast & tickets to ECHO from $259.
agriculture
Creative Perennial garden Possibilities: Referencing visuals of backyard blooms, Richard Dube presents ways to incorporate eye-catching vegetation into existing landscapes. Proceeds benefit the Richmond Food Shelf. Richmond Free Library, sign in, 9-9:30 a.m; presentation, 9:3011:30 a.m., Donations. Info, 434-4834, richdubegeo@cs.com. tree Pruning: Forester Dave Wilcox presents tips for arboreal upkeep, then demonstrates his techniques outside. Meet in the East Montpelier Room, Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.
*Based on availability, limited rooms available, not valid on existing reservations.
— go to hotelvt.com, email stay@hotelvt.com or call 802.651.0080 6h-hotelvt031914.indd 1
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“I have been using the new mindfulness program and I am LOVING it!”
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Offered by the Center for Mindful Learning.
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TEACH MINDFULNESS TO CHILDREN & YOUTH
calendar
3/17/14 12:57 PM
dance
'braving the Cold, Creating soMe heat': Local choreographers present original works performed by dancers from the Contemporary Dance and Fitness Studio. Spotlight on Dance, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $10-15 suggested donation. Info, subluxationdance@gmail.com. luCky Plush: See FRI.21. See calendar spotlight. Flynn MainStage, Burlington, 8 p.m. $15-36. Info, 863-5966. sWing danCe: Quick-footed participants experiment with different styles, including the lindy hop, Charleston and balboa. Indoor shoes required. Champlain Club, Burlington, beginner lesson, 8 p.m.; dance, 8:30 p.m. $5. Info, 448-2930. triP danCe CoMPany: Local dancers ages 6 through 18 interpret ballet, jazz, lyrical and modern styles. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe Mountain Resort, 3 & 7:30 p.m. $20-25. Info, 253-5151.
etc.
arCtiC roadshoW: a northern Colloquy & ident-i-day: Artifacts and attic treasures from arrowheads to photographs and paintings inspire stories of bygone eras. Offerings of artwork, books and locally made crafts complete the day. Hulbert Outdoor Center, Fairlee, 1 p.m. $30; $50 per family; preregister. Info, info@circumpolarstudies.org.
FIND FUtURE DAtES + UPDAtES At SEVENDAYSVT.COM/EVENTS
Broadcast Benefit Birthday Party: Locals fête Royalton Community Radio's first anniversary with homemade eats and live entertainment from Bitter Greens and Rockit Science. Royalton Academy, 6-10 p.m. $20-25 suggested donation. Info, 431-3433.
vermont maPle oPen house weekend: 'Tis the season for syrup! Folks explore sugaring operations throughout the state and watch sap turn into the sweet stuff. Times vary according to specific location. See vermontmaple.org for details. Various locations statewide, 9 a.m. Free. Info, 763-7435.
runaway, runaway sPring fashion show: Models showcase collections from area businesses at fashionable festivities featuring a raffle and afternoon tea. Chandler Gallery, Randolph, 2-4 p.m. $25; preregister; limited space. Info, 728-6464.
games
waterBury rotary home show: "Waterbury is Under Construction" inspires exhibits and interactive community activities. A silent auction and flea market round out this annual event. See waterburyhomeshow.com for details. Crossett Brook Middle School, Duxbury, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. $3; free for kids under 12. Info, 244-7373.
fairs & festivals
maPle sugar festival: Locals celebrate Vermont's liquid gold with sugar on snow, woodfired sugaring demos, maple wines and spirits and more. Boyden Valley Winery, Cambridge, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, 644-8151.
film
green mountain film festival: See FRI.21, noon-11:30 p.m. woodstock film series: A father and son's relationship is tested when they compete for Jerusalem's Israel Prize in the Academy Awardwinning drama The Footnote. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 3 p.m. $5-11. Info, 457-2355.
food & drink
all-you-can-eat Pancake Breakfast: Folks pile their plates high with stacks of flapjacks at this benefit for Huntington Boy Scout Troop 645. Community Church, Huntington, 8-11 a.m. $2-5. Info, 434-2690. chocolate tasting: Sweets lovers tap into the nuances of sour, spicy, earthy and fruity flavors. Lake Champlain Chocolates Factory Store & Café, Burlington, 2-3 p.m. Free. Info, 448-5507. Junior iron chef vermont: Middle and high school students put their culinary skills to the test at this statewide competition highlighting local ingredients. Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction, 9 a.m. $3-5. Info, 434-4122.
health & fitness
dJ yoga: Improvisational beats by DJ tonybonez set the tone for an invigorating practice focused on personal expression and letting go. Jenke Arts, Burlington, 4-5 p.m., Donations. Info, 683-4918. gentle yoga with Jill lang: Students get their stretch on with the yoga certification candidate. Personal mat required. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 1-2 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.
INSTANT-DECISION ADMISSION DAYS
r.i.P.P.e.d.: See WED.19, 9-10 a.m.
Makes Transferring as Easy as 1, 2, 3
sPring cleansing: Attendees learn how to rid the body of harmful toxins with a diet of whole foods and plant-based phytonutrients. City Market, Burlington, 10-11:30 a.m. $5-10; preregister at citymarket.coop; limited space. Info, 861-9700.
kids
'if it's snowy and you know it, claP your Paws!' sledding Party: Tykes and their parents celebrate the release of Liza Woodruff's newest book with a winter adventure, then warm up inside with a story hour. Flying Pig Bookstore, Shelburne, 11 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 985-3999. meet clifford the Big red dog: Little ones get acquainted with the lovable pooch from Norman Bridwell's Clifford the Big Red Dog children's book series. Crafts, activities and stories round out the day. Buttered Noodles, Williston, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 764-1810. oPen tot gym & infant/Parent Play time: Slides, jump ropes and a rope swing help little ones drain their energy in a safe environment. A separate area for babies provides age-appropriate stimulation. Elementary School Gymnasium, Bellows Free Academy, Fairfax, 10-11:10 a.m. Free. Info, fairfaxsx6@gmail.com.
rutland winter farmers market: More than 50 vendors sell local produce, cheese, homemade bread and other made-in-Vermont products at the bustling indoor venue. Vermont Farmers Food Center, Rutland, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 753-7269.
williston kids day: Arts, activities and active play arrest the attention of youngsters. Proceeds benefit the Williston Community Food Shelf. Williston Central School, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. $1 suggested donation. Info, 878-2762.
saratoga olive oil comPany 2nd anniversary celeBration: See FRI.21.
music
2/14/14 10:33 AM
( HOME. STUDIO. )
chris smither: Brilliant songwriting and skilled guitar licks inform the bluesman's interpretation of the genre. See calendar spotlight. Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 8 p.m. $25-27. Info, 388-0216.
recording studio songwriting space
refueling zone
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neighborhood concert
groupie crash pad
What’s your vision for homeownership? Perhaps we can help. We’re a locally based non-profit offering Vermonters low-interest loans and the ability to choose a local lender. So go ahead, dream big, and give us a shout.
Call 800-339-5866
SAT.22
jam space
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vhfa.org /yourvision
CALENDAR 55
sugar-on-snow Party: Beginning with sugarbush tours, folks follow sap from tree to syrup at this seasonal soirée. Meet at the sugarhouse. Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free; cost of food and syrup. Info, 434-3068.
Burlington civic symPhony: The local ensemble enlivens works by Mozart, Aaron Copland and orchestra member Noah Marconi. Elley-Long Music Center, St. Michael's College, Colchester, 8 p.m. $5-15. Info, 863-5966.
www.Champlain.edu/ Transfer-Days
SEVEN DAYS
sugar on snow: Maple syrup takes center stage at a celebration of Vermont's famous flavor featuring live music, traditional treats and family-friendly activities. Dakin Farm, Ferrisburgh, 7:30-11:30 a.m. & noon-4 p.m. Free; $4.50-7.75 for pancake breakfast; Dakin Farm, South Burlington, noon-4 p.m. Free. Info, 658-9560.
BlackBird: Rachel Clark and Bob DeMarco pair spirited originals with traditional Celtic and Scandinavian tunes. Brandon Music Café, 7:30 p.m. $15; $30 includes dinner package; preregister; BYOB. Info, 465-4071.
FOR DETAILS VISIT:
03.19.14-03.26.14
norwich winter farmers market: Farmers and artisans offer produce, meats and maple syrup alongside homemade baked goods and handcrafted items. Tracy Hall, Norwich, every other Saturday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 384-7447.
Contact Shawn McElwain at 802.383.6644 or mcelwain@champlain.edu.
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saturday story time: Families gather for imaginative tales. Phoenix Books Burlington, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 448-3350. story exPlorers: colors: Where have all the vibrant hues gone? Children learn about seasonal shades and experiment with a rainbow-themed activity. ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center/ Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10:30-11 a.m. Free with admission $9.50-12.50. Info, 877-324-6386.
sugar on snow: Folks welcome spring with maple syrup treats, sap-boiling demos, live music and a petting zoo. Palmer's Sugarhouse, Shelburne, noon-4 p.m. Free. Info, 985-5054.
Transfer to Champlain College during one of our Instant-Decision Admission Days. Send us your application and transcripts then make your appointment to receive your transfer admission decision for Fall 2014, which credits we’ll transfer, and what financial aid is available.
Sign up for your Instant-Decision Admission appointment before May 2nd.
SEVENDAYSVt.com
middleBury winter farmers market: Crafts, cheeses, breads, veggies and more vie for spots in shoppers' totes. Mary Hogan Elementary School, Middlebury, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 989-7223.
Bingo fundraiser: Players cover squares and vie for cash prizes at this benefit for Relay For Life Rutland County. Knights of Columbus, Rutland, noon $20. Info, michelle@jumpforefun.com.
Rates are subject to change. Eligibility requirements and restrictions apply.
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Green Mountain opera Festival Gala & ConCert: "La Festa delle Montagne" combines top operatic talent with gourmet fare and live and silent auctions at this benefit for the GMOF. Inn at the Round Barn Farm, Waitsfield, cocktails, 6-7 p.m.; dinner and performances, 7-10 p.m. $100. Info, 496-7722. Kristina styKos: Singer-songwriter Steve Mayone and fiddler Patrick Ross accompany the gifted vocalist in an informal show. WalkOver Gallery & Concert Room, Bristol, 8 p.m. $15-20. Info, 453-3188, ext. 2. sarah BelanGer, BoB Blais & Diane hulinG: The violinist, cellist and pianist lend their talents to a performance of works by Beethoven and Rachmaninoff. Congregational Church, Norwich, 7:30 p.m. $12-16 suggested donation. Info, 492-2252. tenores De aterúe: The internationally recognized quartet presents traditional polyphony from Sardinia, Corsica and Italy. Unitarian Church, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. $10-15 suggested donation. Info, 919-866-8822. younG traDition tourinG Group: Talented teens present a varied repertoire of traditional music and dance, soon to be performed in England and Scotland. Hilton Hotel, Burlington, 7-8:45 p.m. Free. Info, mark.sustic@gmail.com.
outdoors
Mt. aBrahaM hiKe: Nature lovers hit the Battell Trail for a challenging six-mile trek up the mountain. Appropriate gear required. Contact trip leader for details. Mount Abraham, Bristol, 9 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister. Info, 878-6828.
seminars
3D printinG, DesiGninG & sCanninG With Blu-Bin: Instruction in basic programs teaches attendees how to build digital models of their ideas. Blu-Bin, Burlington, noon-1:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 345-6030.
sports
relay For liFe norDiC style: From sunset to sunrise, winter athletes take turns cross-country skiing or snowshoeing to raise funds for the American Cancer Society. Trapp Family Lodge Nordic Center, Stowe, 6 p.m., Donations. Info, 800-227-2345. verMont poliCe assoCiation BeneFit hoCKey GaMe: The Vermont National Guard Defenders take the ice against the Vermont Law Enforcement Enforcers in a family-friendly charity match. Essex Junction Skating, 6 p.m. $5. Info, 338-3452.
theater
802's Got talent: An evening of singing, dancing, music and more highlights the theatrical chops of local performers. A raffle and silent auction complete the evening. Hunt Middle School, Burlington, 6 p.m. $6. Info, 310-7266. 'assisteD livinG, the MusiCal': Eccentric and often adventurous, the residents of the Pelican Roost Assisted Living Facility drive this national touring comedy. Barre Opera House, 7 p.m. $15-30. Info, 476-8188. 'CaBin Fever Follies': See FRI.21. 'ChiCaGo, the MusiCal': See THU.20, 2 & 7:30 p.m. 'GooD people': See WED.19.
the Met live in hD series: st. JohnsBury: Tenor Jonas Kaufmann stars in a broadcast production of Jules Massenet's opera Werther. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 12:55 p.m. $16-24. Info, 748-2600. national theatre live: 'War horse': A broadcast production of this award-winning drama features a boy determined to reunite with his beloved steed, who is recruited to serve in World War I. Lake Placid Center for the Arts, N.Y., 1 p.m. $10-16. Info, 518-523-5812. '"our toWn" oF WooDChuCK, verMont': Stories, songs and quirky characters inform Woodchuck Theatre Company's interpretation of George Woodard's lighthearted examination of small-town life. Johnson Elementary School, 7 p.m. $10. Info, 244-1571. 'urinetoWn, the MusiCal': See THU.20. See FRI.21. 'venus in Fur': See WED.19.
words
MuD season BooK sale: See WED.19, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
sun.23 activism
Fly Kites not Drones: Locals send kites into the sky to raise awareness about Afghan Peace Volunteers' efforts to end drone usage. Waterfront Park, Burlington, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-2345, ext. 6.
'hiCK in the hooD: a verMont Boy in West oaKlanD': See FRI.21.
art
aFternoon Jazz CaFé & photoGraphy exhiBit reCeption: The Allison Mann Trio provide live music for art lovers, who view portraits of dancers by Nathan Burton and Peter Forbes. Contemporary Dance & Fitness Studio, Montpelier, 3-5:30 p.m., Donations. Info, 229-4676.
bazaars
Montpelier antiques MarKet: The past comes alive with offerings of furniture, artwork, jewelry and more at this ephemera extravaganza. Elks Club, Montpelier, 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. $2-5. Info, 751-6138.
community
suGar-on-snoW party: Locals get their fill of maple treats. Live music and family-friendly activities round out the sweet soirée. Milton Grange, 1-4 p.m. Free. Info, 363-2598.
dance
BalKan FolK DanCinG: Louise Brill and friends organize people into lines and circles set to complex rhythms. No partner necessary. Ohavi Zedek Synagogue, Burlington, 4-7 p.m. $6 suggested donation. Info, 540-1020. enGlish Country DanCinG: Trip to Norwich provide live music at this celebration of the traditional art form. All dances taught and called. No partner needed, but clean-soled shoes are required. Tracy Hall, Norwich, 3-6 p.m. $4-8. Info, 785-4121, christopher.levey@dartmouth.edu.
etc.
hanDs CalCutta: Folks mingle over tasty fare and vie for the $1,000 grand prize at this fundraiser for the local organization. T. Rugg's Tavern, Burlington, 3-6 p.m. $50 per ticket; cash bar.
03.19.14-03.26.14
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Refresh your reading ritual. Flip through your favorite local newspaper on your favorite mobile device.
SEVEN DAYS
(And yes, it’s still free.)
56 CALENDAR
Add Seven Days to your iPad/iPhone Newsstand for free at sevendaysvt.com. 2h-7dapp-launch-100913.indd 1
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'Mountain MoMents' open House: Skiers chat with Mad River Glen's staff naturalist about the wildlife and ecosystems found on the mountain. Kent Thomas Nature Center. Mad River Glen, Waitsfield, 1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 496-3551. 'saunter into spring' sportswear FasHion sHow: Seasonal threads pave the way for door prizes, raffles and a silent auction at this benefit for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School, South Burlington, 1:30-4 p.m. $5. Info, 999-3226. waterbury rotary HoMe sHow: See SAT.22.
fairs & festivals
antique appraisal Fair: Expert appraisers determine the value of art, jewelry, books, furniture and more at this ephemera extravaganza. Proceeds benefit the Oxbow Community Scholarship for Excellence. Oxbow High School, Bradford, 1-4 p.m. $4 per appraisal. Info, 866-3320. Maple sugar Festival: See SAT.22.
film
Found Footage Festival: Comedic commentary highlights clips from VHS gems discovered in garage sales, thrift stores and dumpsters. Higher Ground, South Burlington, 8 p.m. $10-12. Info, 652-0777. green Mountain FilM Festival: See FRI.21, noon-10 p.m.
food & drink
Maple HaM dinner: Families feast on a spread of baked ham, mashed potatoes, vegetables, coleslaw and dessert, served family-style. Georgia Elementary & Middle School, St. Albans, 11:30 a.m. & 12:45 p.m. $6-12; $35 per family; free for kids under 5. Info, 524-3330. saratoga olive oil CoMpany 2nd anniversary Celebration: See FRI.21.
sports
woMen's piCkup soCCer: Quick-footed ladies of varying skill levels break a sweat while stringing together passes and making runs for the goal. Robert Miller Community & Recreation Center, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. $3; for women ages 18 and up. Info, 864-0123.
talks
kevin MClaugHlin: The Chittenden County sheriff weighs in on the history of his department. Chittenden County Sheriff's Office, South Burlington, 2 p.m. Free. Info, cchsvt@gmail.com.
theater
'Cabin Fever Follies': See FRI.21. 'CHiCago, tHe MusiCal': See THU.20, 2 p.m. 'good people': See WED.19, 5 p.m. tHe JewisH plays proJeCt: Maple edition: David Winitsky directs excerpts of scripts by local playwrights, to be voted on by attendees at this Theatre Kavanah event. Live music and good eats round out the afternoon. Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 2 p.m. $20 suggested donation; preregister; limited seating. Info, 503-1132. 'urinetown, tHe MusiCal': See THU.20, 2 p.m. 'urinetown, tHe MusiCal': See FRI.21, 2 p.m. 'venus in Fur': See WED.19, 2 p.m.
words
sugar on snow: See SAT.22. sugar-on-snow party: See SAT.22. sunday breakFast: Rise and shine! Pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage await. Proceeds benefit veterans and their families. VFW Post 309, Peru, N.Y., 9 a.m.-noon. $7. Info, 518-643-4580. verMont Maple open House weekend: See SAT.22.
alternative literature & poetry intensive worksHop: Lit lovers explore a wide range of notable works based on neurobiology and the metaphysics of language. Private residence, Cambridge, 3:30 p.m. $25; preregister; limited space. Info, ecstasyofacripple@gmail.com. verMont antiquarian book & epHeMera Fair: Bibliophiles visit pages of publishing past with rare and unusual titles. Maps, postcards and more complete the trip down memory lane. Sheraton Hotel & Conference Center, South Burlington, 10 a.m. $5. Info, 527-7243.
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kids
HoMework Help: Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Science students assist first through eighth graders with reading, math and science assignments. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, noon-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7216.
verMont syMpHony orCHestra pete seeger tribute ConCert: The VSO chorus welcomes Counterpoint, Pete Sutherland, Lui Collins and House Blend to honor the folk troubadour and activist. Proceeds benefit Hudson River Sloop Clearwater. First Unitarian Universalist Society, Burlington, 4:30 p.m., Donations. Info, 864-5741, ext. 16.
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russian play tiMe witH natasHa: Kiddos up to age 8 learn new words via rhymes, games, music, dance and a puppet show. Buttered Noodles, Williston, 11-11:45 a.m. Free. Info, 764-1810.
language
music
saraH belanger, bob blais & diane Huling: See SAT.22, Unitarian Church, Montpelier, 3 p.m. $12-16 suggested donation. Info, 492-2252.
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Mon.24
dance
sHakti tribal belly danCe witH susanne: Women get their groove on with this ancient and spirit-inspired improvisational dance form. Soul Fire Studio, Burlington, 5:30-6:45 p.m. $15. Info, 688-4464.
etc.
aarp tax prep assistanCe: See THU.20. teCHnology open House: Locals learn about available library services, including video conferencing equipment, databases and laptops. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.
film
green Mountain FilM Festival: See FRI.21, 1:45-10 p.m. 'sprawling FroM graCe': David M. Edwards examines the far-reaching effects of American suburban sprawl in his eye-opening 2008 documentary. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 7-9 p.m. Free. Info, 748-2600.
MON.24
CALENDAR 57
tenores de aterúe: See SAT.22, New City Galerie, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $10-15. Info, 735-2542.
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SEVEN DAYS
FrenCH Conversation group: diManCHes: Parlez-vous français? Speakers practice the tongue at a casual, drop-in chat. Local History Room, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 4-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 363-2431.
NB
03.19.14-03.26.14
My CHild & Me Cooking Class: a touCH oF Maple: Budding chefs up to age 5 and their caregivers mix and measure local organic ingredients. City Market, Burlington, 9:30-10:30 a.m. $5-10 per pair; preregister at citymarket.coop; limited space. Info, 861-9700.
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food & drink
Be Smooth: A Smoothie-Making Workshop: Health nuts blend nutritious ingredients into flavorful concoctions and learn new recipes to take home. Wellspring Chiropractic Lifestyle Center, Shelburne, 6:30 p.m. Free; preregister at wellspringcls.com. Info, 985-9850, belifeful@gmail.com. Eat for Peace: Diners fill up on a traditional Haitian fare at this benefit for the Macaya Coffee Cooperative. A presentation by Meg Brook of Volunteers for Peace completes the evening. First Congregational Church, Burlington, 6 p.m. $15. Info, 863-2345, ext. 3.
games
talks
Matthys Levy: The author and engineer considers the ways in which modernist architects incorporate structural ideas. Faith United Methodist Church, South Burlington, 2 p.m. $5. Info, 864-3516.
words
Creative Writing Workshop: See WED.19. March Madness Book Sale: Bookworms stock up on a wide variety of new reads. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6955. Mud Season Book Sale: See WED.19. Must-Read Monday: John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany inspires conversation among lit lovers. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6955.
Bridge Club: See WED.19, 7 p.m. Trivia Night: Teams of quick thinkers gather for a meeting of the minds. Lobby, Hotel Vermont, Burlington, 7-9 p.m. Free. Info, 651-5012.
health & fitness R.I.P.P.E.D.: See WED.19.
Spring Detox: Holistic health coach Marie Frohlich shares strategies for gently cleansing the blood and liver. Community Room, Hunger Mountain Coop, Montpelier, 6-7 p.m. $10-12; preregister. Info, 2238000, ext. 202.
kids
Alice in Noodleland: Youngsters get acquainted over crafts and play while new parents and expectant mothers chat with maternity nurse and lactation consultant Alice Gonyar. Buttered Noodles, Williston, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 764-1810. Moretown Playgroup: Tykes burn off energy in a constructive environment. Gymnasium, Moretown Elementary School, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, moretownplaygroup@gmail.com. Music With Peter: Preschoolers up to age 5 bust out song-and-dance moves to traditional and original folk. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:45 a.m. Free; limited to one session per week per family. Info, 878-4918.
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SEVEN DAYS
03.19.14-03.26.14
SEVENDAYSvt.com
Nature Tales Story Time: Environmental tales, songs and rhymes entertain good listeners ages 2 through 5. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 865-7216. Reading Buddies: Eighth-grade mentors foster a love of the written words in little ones. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:45-4:45 p.m. Free; preregister for a time slot; limited space. Info, 878-6956. Sit & Knit: Kiddos ages 6 and up and their parents join Joan Kahn for a creative session appropriate for all skill levels. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.
language
Advanced Spanish Lessons: Proficient speakers work on mastering the language. 57 Charlotte Street, Burlington, 6:30-8 p.m. $20. Info, 324-1757.
lgbtq
Belly Dance: All genders, skill levels, shapes and sizes shimmy the evening away in a supportive environment. RU12? Community Center, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. $10 suggested donation. Info, 860-7812. Monday Night OUT!: Kitty Von Tease hosts this weekly gathering of games, libations and a viewing of "RuPaul's Drag Race." Drink, Burlington, cocktail hour, 8-9 p.m.; show viewing, 9-10 p.m. Free; for ages 21 and up. Info, 860-9463, melissashahady@ vtdrink.com.
seminars
Intro to Facebook for Seniors: Folks ages 50 and up learn how to connect with friends and family on the social networking site. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3-4:30 p.m. $3 suggested donation; preregister. Info, 865-7217.
TUE.25
agriculture
Burlington Garden Club Meeting: In "Native Meadow Case Study," horticulturalist Rebecca Lindenmeyer details the South Hero installation of more than 4,000 plants. Brand Hall, Faith United Methodist Church, South Burlington, 1:15 p.m. Free. Info, 862-4435.
dance
Intro to Tribal Belly Dance: Ancient traditions from a vast range of cultures define this moving meditation that celebrates the feminine creative energy. Comfortable clothing required. Sacred Mountain Studio, Burlington, 6:45 p.m. $12. Info, piper.c.emily@gmail.com. Swing Dance Practice Session: Twinkle-toed participants get moving in different styles, such as the lindy hop, Charleston and balboa. Indoor shoes required. Champlain Club, Burlington, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $5. Info, 448-2930.
education
Community College of Vermont Information Session: Potential students meet with academic advisors to learn about courses and programs offered throughout the spring. Community College of Vermont Middlebury Campus, 5:15-6 p.m. Free. Info, 388-3032.
film
Green Mountain Film Festival: See FRI.21, 1:45-10 p.m. 'Raging Bull': Robert De Niro portrays the self-destructive boxer Jake LaMotta in an Academy Awardwinning performance directed by Martin Scorsese. Film House, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free; first come, first served. Info, 540-3018. 'Shane': A gunfighter struggles to raise his family amid ongoing conflicts in George Stevens' visually stunning 1953 western based on Jack Schaefer's eponymous novel. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 7-9 p.m. Free. Info, 748-2600.
food & drink
The Frugal Fridge: A tour of the store helps shoppers become savvy savers. City Market, Burlington, 6-7 p.m. Free; preregister at citymarket. coop. Info, 861-9700.
games
Gaming for Teens & Adults: Tabletop games entertain players of all skill levels. Ages 13 and under require a legal guardian or parental permission to attend. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5-7:45 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7216.
health & fitness
Intro to Yoga: Those new to the mat discover the benefits of aligning breath and body. Fusion Studio Yoga & Body Therapy, Montpelier, 4-5 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 272-8923.
kids
sports
'Are You My Mother?': A baby bird searching for her mama sets off on a musical adventure in ArtsPower National Touring Theatre's stage adaptation of P.D. Eastman's children's book. Chandler Music Hall, Randolph, 10 a.m. $6. Info, 431-0204.
Harlem Globetrotters: Slam dunk! In "Fans Rule" the charismatic basketball team combines comedy, athleticism and theatrics on the court. UVM Patrick Gymnasium, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $22-35. Info, 866-442-8849.
Creative Tuesdays: Artists exercise their imaginations with recycled crafts. Kids under 10 must be accompanied by an adult. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7216.
talks
Alternative Literature & Poetry Intensive Workshop for Homeschoolers: High school students find meaning in diverse writings using a unique approach to literary analysis. Private residence, Cambridge, 3:30 p.m. $25; preregister; limited space. Info, ecstasyofacripple@gmail.com.
Fairfax Story Hour: Good listeners up to age 6 are rewarded with tales, crafts and activities. Fairfax Community Library, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 849-2420. Highgate Story Hour: See WED.19, 10 a.m. Homework Help: See SUN.23, 4:30-7:30 p.m. 'The Next Generation' Auditions: Area high school students ages 18 and younger showcase their skills with brief instrumental, ensemble or vocal material. Chandler Music Hall, Randolph, 3 p.m. Free; preregister for a time slot. Info, 728-9402. Rainbow Story Time: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple! Youngsters celebrate vivid hues with themed tales. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 223-3338. Reading With Frosty & Friends Therapy Dogs: Youngsters share a story with lovable pooches. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free; preregister for a time slot. Info, 878-4918. Story Explorers: Spring: Are warmer temps on the horizon? Children identify environmental changes that signal the arrival of a new season. ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center/Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10:3011 a.m. Free with admission $9.50-12.50. Info, 877-324-6386. Story Time for 3- to 5-Year-Olds: See WED.19. Story Time With Corey: Read-aloud books and crafts led by store employee Corey Bushey engage young minds. Buttered Noodles, Williston, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 764-1810. 'Tap Tap Boom Boom' Book Release Party: Live music and good eats meet quirky wordplay and catchy rhymes at this celebration of Elizabeth Bluemle's newest children's book. ArtsRiot, Burlington, 4:30-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister; cash bar. Info, 985-3999. Young Athletes Program: Kiddos ages 2 through 7 with and without developmental disabilities practice physical, cognitive and social skills in this Special Olympics Vermont program. Rice Memorial High School, South Burlington, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 862-6521, ext. 215.
language
French Conversation Group: Beginner-tointermediate speakers brush up on their linguistics. Halvorson's Upstreet Café, Burlington, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. Info, 540-0195. Intermediate Conversational Spanish Lessons: Adults sharpen their grammar skills while exploring different topics. 57 Charlotte Street, Burlington, 6:30-8 p.m. $20. Info, 324-1757.
music
Michael Arnowitt: The celebrated classical pianist interprets works by Debussy, Rachmaninov, Stravinsky and others in "1913 and the Rite of Spring." UVM Recital Hall, Redstone Campus, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 656-4383. U.S. Army Field Band & Soldiers Chorus: Drawing on more than 60 years of stage time, the internationally acclaimed ensemble presents a varied program ranging from Mozart to Leonard Bernstein. Paramount Theatre, Rutland, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 775-0903.
Green Mountain Derby Dames Fresh Meat Practice: Get on the fast track! Vermont's hard-hitting gals teach novices basic skating and derby skills. Skates, mouth guard and protective gear required. Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction, 8:30-10 p.m. Free. Info, 203-675-0294.
Cheryl McIntyre: The SUNY Plattsburgh alum discusses her journey in engineering and leadership at Lockheed Martin. Krinovitz Auditorium, Hawkins Hall, SUNY Plattsburgh, N.Y., 4-6 p.m. Free. Info, 518-564-3095. James Calvin Davis: In "Faith and Friendship: Pillars for Small-Town Civility," the Middlebury College professor considers the relationship between politics and religion. A Q&A follows. St. Stephen's on the Green Episcopal Church, Middlebury, 7 p.m. Free; childcare provided. Info, 388-6802. Meghan Cope & Brian Lee: The UVM professors of geography and the assistant professor of engineering share their expertise in "Teens, Technology and Transportation: A Vermont Case Study." Memorial Lounge, Waterman Building, UVM, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 656-2005. Paul K. Van Riper: The retired Marine Corps general presents "The Science Behind the Art of Decision Making." Plumley Armory, Norwich University, Northfield, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 485-2886. Piper Kerman: From inmate to original Netflix series, the author of Orange is the New Black shares her journey. Grand Maple Ballroom, Davis Center, UVM, Burlington, 7 p.m., Info, 656-2076.
words
Conversations With the Word Weaver: Literary scholar Lois Ligget leads an exploration of the components of daily dialogue. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338. March Madness Book Sale: See MON.24, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mud Season Book Sale: See WED.19.
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Nationalism: The Breeding Ground of War: Attorney Sandy Baird considers the complex relationship between history, culture and international conflict. Burlington College, 6:15 p.m. Free. Info, 862-9616.
business
Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility: Like-minded professionals network with members of TruexCullins Architecture & Interior Design over appetizers and live jazz. Topnotch Resort & Spa, Stowe, 5:30-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 862-8347.
conferences
Small BIZ VT Summit: Workshops, vendors and networking opportunities explore various aspects of starting and expanding businesses. Sheraton Hotel & Conference Center, South Burlington, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Free; $25 for lunch.
dance
Folk Dancing: Sue Morris leads participants of all ages and abilities in traditional steps from around the world. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 6:45 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581. Israel Galvàn: Rapid, rhythmic footwork drives The Golden Age by the famed flamenco dancer. See calendar spotlight. Moore Theater, Hopkins Center, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., 7 p.m. $17-40. Info, 603-646-2422.
liSt Your EVENt for frEE At SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT
etc.
Valley Night FeaturiNg the gulch: Locals gather for this weekly bash of craft ales, movies and live music. Big Picture Theater and Café, Waitsfield, 8 p.m. $5 suggested donation; $2 drafts. Info, 496-8994.
film
'20 Feet From Stardom': Utilizing intimate interviews from stars such as Sting and Mick Jagger, Morgan Neville's documentary examines the oftenoverlooked careers of backup singers. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 7-9 p.m. $6-8. Info, 748-2600. BookS to Film SerieS: Geoffrey Rush, Judy Davis and Jesse Spencer star in Swimming Upstream, a 2003 biopic about Australian swimmer Tony Fingleton. A discussion with library director Richard Bidnick follows. Hayes Room, Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338. commuNity ciNema: 'medora': See WED.19, a panel discussion follows. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338. greeN mouNtaiN Film FeStiVal: See FRI.21, 2-10 p.m.
food & drink
culiNary, medical & topical preparatioNS oF aNti-iNFlammatory herBS: Cristi Nunziata explains the process of inflammation in the body, then presents natural ways to address the condition. City Market, Burlington, 6-7:30 p.m. $5-10; preregister at citymarket.coop; limited space. Info, 861-9700. herBal Support For the meNStrual cycle: Clinical herbalist Betzy Bancroft takes a holistic approach to the hormones and structures of the female reproductive system. Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, Montpelier, 6-8 p.m. $10-12; preregister. Info, 224-7100. moNtréal-Style acro yoga: See WED.19. r.i.p.p.e.d.: See WED.19.
kids
highgate Story hour: See WED.19. meet rockiN' roN the FrieNdly pirate: See WED.19. moViNg & grooViNg With chriStiNe: See WED.19. muSic & moVemeNt With leSley graNt: See WED.19. read to coco: See WED.19. Story time & playgroup: See WED.19. Story time For 3- to 5-year-oldS: See WED.19.
WedNeSday WiNe doWN: See WED.19.
games
Bridge cluB: See WED.19. gameS uNplugged: See WED.19.
health & fitness
alexaNder techNique WorkShop: Katie Back shares techniques for relieving pain and preventing injury while participating in physical activity. Community Room, Hunger Mountain Coop, Montpelier, 5:30-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 223-8000, ext. 202.
youth creatiVe WritiNg WorkShop: See WED.19.
language
italiaN coNVerSatioN group: Parla Italiano? A native speaker leads a language practice for all ages and abilities. Room 101, St. Edmund's Hall, St. Michael's College, Colchester, fourth Wednesday of every month, 7-9 p.m. Free. Info, 899-3869.
music
arditti quartet: The renowned foursome presents works by Harrison Birtwistle, Jonathan Harvey,
Kui Dong and others. Spaulding Auditorium, Hopkins Center, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., 7 p.m. $1740. Info, 603-646-2422. FarmerS Night coNcert SerieS: The Tim Brick Band bring hard-hitting country tunes to an intimate show. Vermont Statehouse, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 479-8500. Scott aiNSlie: Sharing his gifts for the blues, the guitarist, historian and singer-songwriter plays an acoustic show. North End Studio A, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 863-6713.
seminars
aarp Smart driVer claSS: Drivers ages 50 and up learn to safely navigate the road while addressing the physical changes brought on by aging. Winooski Senior Center, 1-5:30 p.m. $15-20; preregister. Info, 655-6425.
sports
greeN mouNtaiN taBle teNNiS cluB: See WED.19.
talks
greg gauSe: In Johnson State College's 30th annual Ellsworth Lecture, the UVM professor of political science considers the current state of Syria. Bentley Hall, Johnson State College, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 635-1657. raShied omar: The University of Notre Dame professor of peace studies presents "Islam Between Violence and Peace." Cheray Science Hall, St. Michael's College, Colchester, 4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 654-2795. upcomiNg ShiFtS & chaNgeS: coNNectiNg & ShariNg experieNceS: Annette Gingras and Manjula Leggett lead a group discussion of planetary happenings. Spirit Dancer Books & Gifts, Burlington, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Donations. Info, 660-8060.
theater
'eltoN JohN: the millioN dollar piaNo': Captured live from Las Vegas, a broadcast production brings the iconic performer's biggest hits to the big screen. Palace 9 Cinemas, South Burlington, 7 p.m. $15. Info, 864-5610. 'hick iN the hood: a VermoNt Boy iN WeSt oaklaNd': See FRI.21, Off Center for the Dramatic Arts, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $10. Info, theoffcenter@ gmail.com. 'VeNuS iN Fur': See WED.19.
words
Big ideaS diNe & diScuSS: Bibliophiles join Ed Cashman for a shared meal and conversation about Charles C. Mann's New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 6-8:30 p.m. Free; bring a South American dish to share. Info, 878-6955. creatiVe WritiNg WorkShop: See WED.19. daNiel luSk: The local poet shares verse from Kin, Lake Studies and Meditations on Lake Champlain. A book signing follows. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918. madeleiNe kuNiN: Vermont's former governor discusses The New Feminist Agenda: Defining the Next Revolution for Women, Work and Family. Morgan Room, Aiken Hall, Champlain College, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, jportilla@champlain.edu. march madNeSS Book Sale: See MON.24. mud SeaSoN Book Sale: See WED.19. VermoNt readS: Sam Drazin explores themes of disability awareness in R.J. Palacio's Wonder. Bradford Public Library, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 222-4536. m
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The Lake Champlain Bywa y Explore Vermont’s W est Coa st
1. What is the Lake Champlain Byway and where does it go? The Lake Champlain Byway is one of ten state designated scenic byways in Vermont. A byway is a route or corridor that travels through an area that is rich in the shared, intrinsic resources of archeology, history, scenery, outdoor recreation, culture, and/or natural resources. The Byway corridor includes twenty-two communities in three areas: the Lake Champlain Islands, the greater Burlington area and parts of Addison County. Its primary motor route consists of Route 2 in the Islands, connecting with Route 7 via the Sandbar Bridge and then down into Addison County where it connects with several smaller routes. The Byway is 185 miles long and takes about 3 hours to drive at a leisurely pace.
2. What communities are part of the Byway and who manages it? The Byway’s member communities from north to south are: Alburg, Grand Isle, Isle LaMotte, North Hero, South Hero, Milton, Colchester, Essex Junction, Winooski, Burlington, South Burlington, Shelburne, Charlotte, Ferrisburgh, Vergennes, Panton, Addison, Middlebury, Cornwall, Whiting, Shoreham, and Orwell. Each community has identified attractions and sites such as parks, beaches, trails and museums that provide opportunities for the traveler and resident to experience and understand the region.
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The Byway is managed by the Lake Champlain Byway Council which is comprised of three regional planning commissions, two regional Chambers of Commerce, and other organizations. The Council works in partnership with the Byway’s member communities and others to undertake and support projects that balance the promotion, preservation, enjoyment, and stewardship of the Byway’s intrinsic resources.
3. What are the Byway’s assets and projects? The Byway’s assets are the sites and attractions located in the Byway corridor. In total there are nearly 200 discrete locations managed by municipalities, the state and various non-profits. In addition to these sites, the Byway is also home to many private businesses that serve the traveler such as lodging, restaurants, recreation services and numerous other businesses. Improved information is a key goal of the Byway. It has installed close to 40 outdoor educational panels and several travel information kiosks and route markers. Most recently two portable toilet shelters were built in the Islands. The Byway’s website, lakechamplainbyway.com is a tremendous resource for those planning a trip to the region and for those who already live here. The site contains information on parks, trails, water recreation, historical sites, local museums, and other attractions. The site is easily browsable by five main categories: History & Culture, Nature & Scenery, Outdoor Recreation, Regions & Towns, and Seasonal Events. The website can also be searched by town or by activity, such as swimming, beach, fishing, museum, etc. For visitors from Quebec, much of the site is translated into French.
4. When was the Byway created and by whom? The Lake Champlain Byway was first designated in 2000. Over the years the Byway has grown as additional communities have received formal designation from the Vermont Transportation Board. Starting in 2003, the Regional Planning Commissions worked to obtain federal National Scenic Byways Grants to fund signage and informational resources. The national Byways program was established by Congress in 1991 to preserve and protect the nation’s scenic but often less-traveled roads, and to promote tourism and economic development. Unfortunately, in the fall of 2012, Congress eliminated the Byways grant program.
5. What does the future hold given lack of dedicated federal grant funding? The lack of federal Byway grants has a silver lining. The Byway Council is taking stock of the projects and programs they’ve implemented, and developing a plan for maintenance and sustainability. Our relationship with our municipalities is an integral part to sustaining the Byway Program. The work municipalities do to implement projects such as sidewalks, traffic calming, directional signage or more kiosks is complementary.
6. How can people get involved in helping the Byway and provide input? One way to get involved is to volunteer on a committee (either at the regional level or in your town) that maintains and shapes the future of the Byway. For the Chittenden County portion of the Byway, the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) has formed a local implementation advisory committee. Over the next few months, the Committee will be reviewing the Byway’s Corridor Management Plan. This Plan will establish objectives to assure the sustainability of the Byway over the next decade. We’ll be looking at the responsibilities of the various entities involved in the Byway, such as the Regional Planning Commissions, the Chambers of Commerce, the municipalities, and the non-profits who manage museums, parks and other attractions. Remember that the Byway does not have staff or dedicated funding; therefore, the plan’s aim is to ensure all entities involved mutually promote each other’s attractions, and that interpretive and educational programs are in place. Residents of the Byway’s eight Chittenden County towns who are interested in participating in this committee can contact Dan Albrecht via email dalbrecht@ccrpcvt.org or by phone: 802-846-4490 x 29. You can also like us on Facebook! Just type Lake Champlain Byway into Facebook’s search feature. We post special events, features and happenings along the Byway. Last, we encourage you to visit the Byway website and share it with your family and friends who are visiting the area: lakechamplainbyway.com.
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classes THE FOLLOWING CLASS LISTINGS ARE PAID ADVERTISEMENTS. ANNOUNCE YOUR CLASS FOR AS LITTLE AS $13.75/WEEK (INCLUDES SIX PHOTOS AND UNLIMITED DESCRIPTION ONLINE). SUBMIT YOUR CLASS AD AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTCLASS.
art
building
TOUCH DRAWING STUDIO WORKSHOP: Touch Drawing is a simple, intuitive, meditative process that moves us deeply into ourselves. Paper is placed over inked Plexiglas. Impulses from within take form through the movement of fingertips on the page. Artists of any level, including absolute beginners, can experience inner imagery coming alive. Come play with us! Fri., Apr. 18 & May 2 & 9, 9:30 a.m.noon. Cost: $135/3 sessions (incl. basic Touch Drawing supplies & 1 canvas). Location: Expressive Arts Burlington/Studio 266, 266 South Champlain St., Burlington. Info: Expressive Arts Burlington, Topaz Weis, 343-8172, topazweis@gmx.net.
TINY-HOUSE WORKSHOP: A crew of beginners will help instructor Peter King frame and sheath a 8-ft. x 12-ft. tiny house in Bakersfield, Mar. 22-23. Plenty of hands-on experience for absolute beginners. Tools provided; safety glasses required. Forestry, landscaping and gardening topics will also be covered, plus how to find a landowner who will sponsor your seasonal gardeneer camp. Onsite camping avail. Cost: $250/workshop. Location: Bakersfield, Vermont. Info: 933-6103.
burlington city arts
62 CLASSES
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astrology INTRODUCTION TO ASTROLOGY: Learn the fundamentals of astrology using the tropical zodiac in this course that provides the skills to identify astrological symbols and their basic meaning. Cost includes your personal chart; for that be sure to provide your birth date, time and place when you register. Taught by Jill McKeon, a student and practitioner of astrology for over 40 years. Apr. 8, 15, 22, 29, 7-9 p.m. Cost: $75/person. Location: Jungian Center for the Spiritual Sciences, 55 Clover La., Waterbury. Info: Sue, 244-7909.
ayurveda VEDIC STUDY AND FIRE CEREMONY: Join us at the Ayurvedic Center of Vermont for a special weekend with Ma Bha of Ananda Ashram. Join us for workshops on the Healing Sounds of Sanskrit, Mandukya Upanishad and listening and meditating on OM, and a Fire Ceremony. See website for workshop details and schedule. For everyone interested in studying yoga and ayurveda. All levels. Sat., Apr. 5, & Sun., Apr. 6. Cost: $95/weekend; Fire Ceremony by donation only. All classes priced individually. You must preregister. Location: The Ayurvedic Center of Vermont, 34 Oak Hill Rd., Williston. Info: The Ayurvedic Center of Vermont, Allison Morse, 872-8898, ayurvedavt@comcast. net, ayurvedavermont.com/ classes.
Call 865-7166 for info or register online at burlingtoncityarts.org. Teacher bios are also available online. CLAY: WHEEL THROWING: Wheel Throwing is an introduction to clay, pottery and the ceramics studio. Work primarily on the potter’s wheel, learning basic throwing and forming techniques, while creating functional pieces such as mugs, vases and bowls. Explore various finishing techniques using the studio’s house slips and glazes. No previous experience needed! Weekly on Thu., Apr. 10-May 29, 12:30-3 p.m. Cost: $280/person; $252/BCA members. Location: BCA Clay Studio, 250 Main St., Burlington. CLAY: WHEEL THROWING: Wheel Throwing is an introduction to clay, pottery and the ceramics studio. Work primarily on the potter’s wheel, learning basic throwing and forming techniques, while creating functional pieces such as mugs, vases and bowls. Explore various finishing techniques using the studio’s house slips and glazes. No previous experience needed! Weekly on Wed., Apr. 9-May 28, 6-8:30 p.m. Cost: $280/person; $252/BCA members. Location: BCA Clay Studio, 250 Main St., Burlington.
JEWELRY: LEATHER EARRINGS: Co-owner of New Duds/professional crafter Tessa Valyou leads this one-night class in creating leather earrings. Using scrap leather from a local purse manufacturer, Tessa will show you simple ways to make one-ofa-kind jewelry that you’ll want to wear and give as gifts. No experience needed. Apr. 9, 6-8 p.m. Cost: $25/person; $22.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Center, 135 Church St., Burlington. KIDS: CLAY AND CRAFT: We will work on various individual and group craft projects and engaging clay projects, including a taste of the pottery wheel. A great way to have fun with different kinds of media. There’s something for everyone! Space is limited, all materials are provided. Students must also bring a bag lunch and snack. Ages 6-12. Mar. 28, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Cost: $85/person; $76.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Clay Studio, 250 Main St., Burlington. KIDS: FREE WHEELIN’: Come play with clay on the potter’s wheel and learn how to make cups, bowls and more in our clay studio. Price includes one fired and glazed piece per participant. All supplies provided. Ages 6-12. Apr. 5, 1-3 p.m. Cost: $25/person, $22.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Clay Studio, 250 Main St., Burlington. PAINTING: WATERCOLOR: Learn how to paint with watercolor. This class will focus on observational painting from still life, figure, landscape and photos. Students will paint on watercolor paper and will gain experience with composition, color theory, layering, light and shade. Class may move outdoors to paint en-plein-air on nice days! Weekly on Wed., Apr. 9-May 28, 6:308:30 p.m. Cost: $200/person; $180/BCA members. Location: BCA Center, 135 Church St., Burlington. PHOTO: ADOBE LIGHTROOM 4: Upload, organize, edit and print your digital photographs in this comprehensive class using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. Importing images, using RAW files, organization, fine-tuning tone and contrast, color and white balance adjustments, and archival printing on our Epson 3880 printer will all be covered. No experience needed. Weekly on Wed., Mar. 26-Apr. 30, 6-9 p.m. Cost: $250/person; $225/BCA members. Location: BCA Center, 135 Church St., Burlington. PHOTO: PORTRAITS: Improve your portrait-taking skills in this hands-on class. Camera techniques, composition, the use of studio and natural light, working with a model, and more will be covered. Bring your camera with a charged battery and memory card to the first class. Prerequisite: Film or Digital SLR Camera or equivalent experience. Weekly on Thu., Mar. 27-Apr. 17, 6-9 p.m. Cost: $175/ person; $157.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Center, 135 Church St., Burlington.
PRINT: MONOPRINT: Create unique, painterly images using a variety of tools and materials in this introductory monoprint class. Practice proper inking techniques, print registration and Chine-collé (thin colored paper that is glued to the print paper in the process of printing). Experimentation with layering colors and textures creates truly one-of-a-kind prints. Weekly on Tue., Apr. 1-May 6, 6-8:30 p.m. Cost: $180/person; $162/BCA members. Location: BCA Print Studio, 250 Main St., Burlington. PRINT: WOODCUT: With local printmaking expert Gregg Blasdel, discover the unique process of woodblock printing, which originated in the Han Dynasty (before 220 BC) in China and has become a printing technique used throughout the world. This class will focus on the fundamental techniques and characteristics of relief woodblock printing. Weekly on Mon., Apr. 14-May 19, 6-8:30 p.m. Cost: $200/person; $180/BCA members. Location: BCA Print Studio, 250 Main St., Burlington.
PAINTING: ABSTRACT: Explore the many exciting possibilities of abstract painting. Using the paint of their choice (water-soluble oils, acrylics or watercolor), students will be encouraged to experiment and try adding other mixed media as well. Students will learn from each other and will discuss techniques and ideas in supportive critique. Weekly on Tue., Apr. 8-May 20, 6-8:30 p.m. Cost: $180/person; $162/BCA members. Location: BCA Center, 135 Church St., Burlington. PAINTING: ACRYLIC: This introductory class includes color abstraction, observational landscape (weather permitting), figure, portrait, still life, and working from photos. Paint on paper and canvas, gain experience with brush techniques, color mixing and theory, composition, layering, highlighting and shading. No experience necessary; lessons will be tailored to fit all levels of painters. Weekly on Thu., Mar. 27May 1, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Cost: $160/ person; $144/BCA members. Location: BCA Center, 135 Church St., Burlington. PHOTOGRAPHING YOUR ARTWORKS: Professional photographer Dan Lovell demonstrates lighting techniques.
Other topics include color reproduction and 2-D versus 3-D artwork. Learn to properly upload and save images onto a computer and what sizes and formats you should use for emailing and uploading to a website. A basic understanding of your camera is required. Apr. 24, 6-9 p.m. Cost: $25/person; $22.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Center, 135 Church St., Burlington. RESIST GLAZING: During this lecture-style workshop, Jeremy will cover the basics of resist glazing techniques. Resist glazing is a great way to highlight contrasts and similarities between glazes and clay bodies on your pottery. Several techniques will be demonstrated to create a variety of surface motifs on functional forms. Apr. 6, 1:30-3 p.m. Cost: $20/person; $18/BCA members. Location: BCA Clay Studio, 250 Main St., Burlington. SELLING YOUR WORK WITH ETSY: Ready to take the leap and open a store on Etsy, the largest handmade online market in the world? Laure Hale, owner of Found Beauty Studio, walks you through opening a shop, setting up policies, listing items and filling sold orders, as well as looking at various marketing tricks. Apr. 7, 6-8 p.m. Cost: $20/person; $18/BCA members. Location: BCA Center, 135 Church St., Burlington. SILKSCREENING: Torrey Valyou, local silkscreen legend and co-owner of New Duds, will introduce you to silkscreening and show you how to design and print T-shirts, posters, fine art and more! Learn a variety of techniques for transferring and printing images using handdrawn, photographic or borrowed imagery. Weekly on Thu., Apr. 10May 29, 6-8:30 p.m. Cost: $230/ person; $207/BCA members. Location: BCA Print Studio, 250 Main St., Burlington. WHEEL THROWING II: Refine your wheelwork in Wheel II for advanced beginners and intermediate potters. Learn individualized tips and techniques for advancement on the wheel. Demonstrations and instruction cover intermediate throwing, trimming, decorative and glazing methods. Individual projects will be encouraged. Students should be proficient in centering and throwing basic cups and bowls. Weekly on Thu., Apr. 10-May 29, 6-8:30 p.m. Cost: $280/person; $252/BCA members. Location: BCA Clay Studio, 250 Main St., Burlington.
burlington college
BACKYARD HOMESTEAD DESIGN: Learn to use permaculture design principles to design and plan your backyard homestead. Examine methods for placing gardens, water systems, animal enclosures, pathways, mushrooms, chicken coops, bee hives and energy systems within the backyard homestead. You’ll leave with the confidence to begin planning a beautiful, functional, and ecological backyard homestead. Tue., Apr. 8. Cost: $25/person. Location: Burlington College, 351 North Ave., Burlington. Info: Burlington College, Krista Hamel, 923-2240, khamel@burlington. edu, burlington.edu/content/ continuing-education. CAREGIVING. CLEANSING. CHI: Learn about being a caregiver for someone with late-stage Alzheimers, prepare yourself for an Ayurvedic home cleanse, or improve your inner and outer balance through tai chi at one of our many engaging continuing education courses at Burlington College. Thu. in Apr., 6:30-8:30 p.m. Alzheimer’s course is free. Preregistration is required for this course. Location: Burlington College, 351 North Ave., Burlington. Info: Burlington College, Krista Hamel, 923-2240, khamel@burlington. edu, burlington.edu/content/ continuing-education. CLASSICAL CONNECTIONS: Examine the global influence of classical compositions artistically, economically and socially. Explore composers in historical context, understand how music is constructed, why particular compositions prolong change and innovation, draw attention to war, provoke riots, celebrate freedom and civil rights, entertain children, or make money. No music experience required. Apr. 10, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Cost: $30/3-hour class. Location: Burlington College, 351 North Ave., Burlington. Info: Burlington College, Krista Hamel, 923-2240, khamel@burlington. edu, burlington.edu/content/ continuing-education. HERBAL BODY CARE & WELLNESS: Make your own herbal products in the Organic Herbal Body Care Products on a Budget workshop March 22 or explore holistic health in Herbs for Women’s Wellness April 7. These are just two of 20+ continuing ed programs at Burlington College this spring. Cost: $35/person. Location: Burlington College, 351 North Ave., Burlington. Info: Burlington College, Krista Hamel, 923-2240, khamel@burlington.
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edu, burlington.edu/content/ continuing-education. Raw Food & wIld Food walkabout: explore something new this spring with our raw Foods sampler or Wild Food Walkabout cooking class. These two courses will teach you about divinely rich, easy to make and healthy recipes. entice your senses and incorporate more plant-based nutrition in ways that will please even the most skeptical palate. Apr. 23 & Apr. 26. Cost: $35/course. Location: Burlington College, 351 North Ave., Burlington. Info: Burlington College, Krista Hamel, 923-2240, khamel@burlington. edu, burlington.edu/content/ continuing-education. ReIkI: levels I & II: reiki is an ancient Japanese healing technique that requires handson practice. reiki utilizes life force energy to promote healing of a variety of physical and emotional issues. it supports stress reduction, relaxation and release of energy blockages throughout the chakra system, enhancing overall well-being. level i and ii being offered. Apr. 5 & 6, Apr. 12 & 13. Cost: $225/ level. Full weekend classes. Location: Burlington College, 351 North Ave., Burlington. Info: Burlington College, Krista Hamel, 923-2240, khamel@burlington. edu, burlington.edu/content/ 2h-brewbracket14.pdf continuing-education.
staRt YouR own busIness!: Before you start a business, you’ve got to have a plan. Once you have a plan, you need financing. This pair of courses helps determine: How do you navigate the roadblocks and risks you’ll face? How much money do you need to get started, and where do you find it? Apr. 3 & 17. Cost: $35/person. Location: Burlington College, 351 North Ave., Burlington. Info: Burlington College, Krista Hamel, 923-2240, khamel@burlington. edu, burlington.edu/content/ continuing-education. women’s wellness Classes: Join us for two courses designed for women. reclaim Your desire — revolutionize possibility and Herbs for Women’s Wellness will help you nourish and balance your hormones and connect you more fully to your vitality and desire. Twenty other continuing ed courses offered this spring as well. Apr. 7 & Apr. 30. Cost: $25/course. Location: Burlington College , 351 North Ave., Burlington. Info: Burlington College, Krista Hamel, 923-2240, khamel@burlington. edu, burlington.edu/content/ continuing-education.
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basICs and beYond In JewelRY: instructor: sarah sprague. This class will focus on jewelry design, small sculpture or functional art. each student will complete a series of practice pieces before designing and creating a wearable finished piece out of sterling silver. every week there will be several demonstrations, including sawing, drilling, piercing, annealing, texturing, jump rings, forming and soldering techniques. 8 Wed., 1-3 p.m., Apr. 16-Jun. 4. Cost: $260/person (members $193.50, nonmembers $215, + $45 materials fee. Location: Shelburne Craft School, 64 Harbor Rd., Shelburne. Info: 985-3648. mIxed-level wheel thRowIng: instructor: Jules polk. This course is for all skill levels! Beginners will be guided through the fundamentals of
basic wheel-throwing techniques. more experienced students will consider elements of form and style and receive individual instruction in functional or sculptural techniques. 8 Sat., 10 a.m.-noon, Apr. 19-Jun. 7. Cost: $255/person (members 193.50, nonmembers $215, +$40 materials fee. Location: Shelburne Craft School, 64 Harbor Rd., Shelburne. Info: 985-3648.
dance b-tRu danCe w/ danIelle vaRdakas duszko: B-Tru is focused on hip-hop, funkstyles (poppin, locking, waaking), breakin’, dance hall, belly dance and lyrical dance. danielle Vardakas duszko has trained with originators in these styles, performed and battled throughout the world. classes and camps age 4-adult. she is holding a Hip-Hop Yoga dance 200-hour teacher training this fall/winter. Kids after-school & Sat. classes. Showcase at the end of May. Spring break camps ages 4-13 also avail. $50/mo. Ask about family discounts. Location: Honest Yoga Center, 150 Dorset St., Blue Mall, next to Sport Shoe Center, S. Burlington. Info: 4970136, honestyogastudio@gmail. com, honestyogacenter.com. begInneR swIng danCe lessons: learn the basics of east coast swing (jitterbug) from
Vermont’s premier swing dance instructor, Terry Bouricius. no partner necessary. preregister by phone or email. 4 Tue., Mar. 25-Apr. 18, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Cost: $40/person for whole series. Location: Champlain Club, 20 Crowley St., Burlington. Info: Vermont Swings, Terry Bouricius, 864-8382, terryb@burlingtontelecom.net, vermontswings. com. danCe studIo salsalIna: salsa classes, nightclub-style, on-one and on-two, group and private, four levels. Beginner walk-in classes, Wednesdays, 6 p.m. $13/person for one-hour class. no dance experience, partner or preregistration required, just the desire to have fun! drop in any time and prepare for an enjoyable workout! Location: 266 Pine St., Burlington. Info: Victoria, 598-1077, info@salsalina.com. dsantos vt salsa: experience the fun and excitement of Burlington’s eclectic dance community by learning salsa. Trained by world famous dancer manuel dos santos, we teach you how to dance to the music and how to have a great time on the dance floor! There is no better time to start than now! Mon. evenings: beginner class, 7-8 p.m.: intermediate, 8:159:15 p.m. Cost: $10/1-hr. class. Location: North End Studios, 294 N. Winooski Ave., Burlington.
Info: Tyler Crandall, 598-9204, crandalltyler@hotmail.com, dsantosvt.com. leaRn to danCe w/ a PaRtneR!: come alone or come with friends, but come out and learn to dance! Beginning classes repeat each month, but intermediate classes vary from month to month. as with all of our programs, everyone is encouraged to attend, and no partner is necessary. private lessons also available. Cost: $50/4wk. class. Location: Champlain Club, 20 Crowley St., Burlington. Info: First Step Dance, 598-6757, kevin@firststepdance.com, firststepdance.com.
dreams IntRoduCtIon to dReam woRk: learn the fundamentals of dream interpretation and explore the major tenets and methods used by Jung and other proponents of dream theory in this workshop-style course. led by lane gibson Jr., experienced dream interpreter and student of Jung. Apr. 7, 14, 21, 28, 7-9 p.m. Cost: $60/person. Location: Jungian Center for the Spiritual Sciences, 55 Clover La., Waterbury. Info: Sue, 244-7909.
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drumming TAIKO, DJEMBE & CONGAS!: Stuart Paton, cofounder and artistic director of Burlington Taiko Group, has devoted the past 25 years to performing and teaching taiko to children and adults here in the Burlington area and throughout New England. He is currently the primary instructor at the Burlington Taiko Space, and his teaching style integrates the best of what he experienced as a child growing up in Tokyo with many successful strategies in American education. Call or email for schedule. Location: Burlington Taiko Space, 208 Flynn Ave., suite 3-G, Burlington & Lane Shops Community Room, 13 N. Franklin St., Montpelier. Info: Stuart Paton, 999-4255, spaton55@gmail.com, burlingtontaiko.org.
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education TEACH MINDFULNESS TO YOUTH: Learn how to teach mindfulness to young people, ages 5-18. This three-hour training includes a software-assisted curriculum that allows you to start teaching mindfulness right away. The program takes just five minutes a day and is easy to implement in school, at home, or for after-school programs, etc. Support young people in improving focus, reducing stress and building compassion. Level I: Fri., Apr. 4, noon-3 p.m. or Sat., Apr. 5, 10-1 p.m. Level II: Fri., May 2, noon-3 p.m. or Sat., May 3, 10-1 p.m. Cost: $350/Level I (includes training, software license and follow up support); $150 for Level II; register for both & receive a $50 discount. Location: Modern Mindfulness Teacher Training, 177 North Prospect St., Burlington. Info: Center for Mindful Learning, Lindsay Foreman, 540-0820, lindsay@ cml.me, modmind.org.
empowerment GO FOR YOUR LIFE PURPOSE! A BOOK READING AND WORKSHOP: Learn simple, practical spiritual techniques to overcome fears, move forward, kick-start your life purpose and navigate personal transitions. Led by Cornelia Ward, an intuitive counselor, spiritual teacher and Angel Therapy Practitioner and Angel Card Reader. Mar. 29, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Location:
Jungian Center for the Spiritual Sciences, 55 Clover La., Waterbury. Info: Sue, 244-7909. TACKLING YOUR INDIVIDUATION: Learn how to utilize your Uranus, the archetype of the rebel, to guide and support your growth into your unique self. No prior background in astrology is required. Led by Sue Mehrtens, teacher and author. Apr. 2, 9, 16, 23, 7-9 p.m. Cost: $60/person. Location: Jungian Center for the Spiritual Sciences, 55 Clover Lane, Waterbury. Info: Sue, 244-7909.
flynn arts
EXPLORING CONNECTIONS SERIES: DIFFERENTIATION OF THE PARTS/ INTEGRATION OF THE WHOLE: This workshop series uses movement and metaphor to explore the expressive body, incorporating movement fundamentals as well as drawing and writing to explore the relationship between movement and personal expression. Our goal will be to facilitate a lively interplay between inner connectivity and outer expressivity to enrich your movement potential, change ineffective neuromuscular movement patterns, and encourage new ways of moving and embodying your inner self. The session on April 4 focuses on differentiation of the parts and integration of the whole. Instructor: Sara McMahon. Teens/adults, Apr. 4, 5:45-7:45 p.m. Cost: $22 Location: Flynn Arts Performing Arts Center, 153 Main St., Burlington. Info: 6524548, flynnarts.org. THE BUSINESS OF STANDUP: Learn the nuts and bolts of performing comedy in Vermont and beyond: how to get yourself noticed by folks who book shows, the different places to perform, the value of open mics and where they are, and where you can go to learn more about comedy in Vermont. We’ll also cover the best ways to keep yourself organized and professional as you start your career as a comic. Come with questions! Adults, Mar. 28, 5:45-7:45 p.m. Cost: $25/person. Location: Flynn Center for the Performing Arts,
153 Main St., Burlington. Info: 652-4548, flynnarts.org.
gardening AWESOME ANNUALS: Annuals are popular as stand-alone plantings and mixed with perennials to fill in gaps and add splashes of color throughout the season. Learn how to grow and maintain old favorites and new varieties of annuals. Look at basic propagation techniques such as starting from seed and transplanting seedlings successfully. Mar. 29, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Cost: $10/person. Location: Gardener’s Supply, 128 Intervale Rd., Burlington. Info: 660-35054, gardenerssupplystore.com. BACKYARD FORAGING: Hostas and day lilies not only have appealing foliage and vibrant blooms, but these perennials are delicious as well as lovely. A surprising number of our favorite garden plants can feed both body and soul. Learn how to recognize, harvest and prepare tasty treats from your backyard. Mar. 29, 9:30-11 a.m. Cost: $10/ person. Location: Gardener’s Supply, 128 Intervale Rd., Burlington. Info: 660-3505-4, gardenerssupplystore.com. LEARN HOW TO GROW YOUR OWN FOOD AT THE COMMUNITY TEACHING GARDEN: Learn how to plant, grow, harvest and preserve the harvest from your own plot and shared garden space in a 22-week, hands-on course for beginner organic vegetable gardeners. The Community Teaching Garden class takes place at two Burlington locations, from early May to late September. Register now! Deadline: April 18. Classes are held twice a week from the week of May 5 to the week of Sep. 29. Cost: $300/ full garden bed or $250/shared garden bed. Location: Ethan Allen Homestead & the Tommy Thompson Community Garden, Burlington. Info: 861-4769, libby@vcgn.org, vcgn.org. SOIL 101: Healthy and vibrant plants start with healthy soil. This one’s a must for all gardeners, from beginner to more experienced grower. Mar. 22, 9:30-11 a.m. Cost: $10/person. Location: Gardener’s Supply, 128 Intervale Rd., Burlington. Info: 660-35054, gardenerssupplystore.com.
generator
INTRO TO THE 3-D PRINTER: 3-D printing is a process of making three-dimensional solid objects from a digital model and is accessible to all, even those with a minimal understanding
of electronics, hardware, or 3-D design. Learn the basics of 3-D software, 3-D printing and rapid prototyping. Introduction to Sketch-Up modeling program and demonstrations included. Prerequisite: Must be comfortable using a computer. Every Thu., Apr. 3-Apr. 24, 6-8 p.m. Cost: $160/person; $144/BCA members. Location: Generator, Memorial Auditorium, 250 Main St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, generatorvermont.com/classes.
materials, techniques and media beyond the pencil to help take your drawings to the next level. Students will explore pen and ink, ink, and watercolor washes, and will use line to add depth and detail. Materials are included. Instructor: Evan Chismark. Weekly on Tue., Mar. 25-Apr. 29, 9:30-11:30 a.m. No class Apr. 15. Cost: $100/member, $125/nonmembers. Location: Helen Day Art Center, 90 Pond St., Stowe. Info: 253-8358, education@ helenday.com, helenday.com. PAINTING WATER IN WATERCOLOR: Join awardwinning artist Robert O’Brien and focus on the many moods and facets of painting water. Learn painting techniques from rendering a simple reflective puddle to a swift moving mountain stream and everything in between. Bring your own materials. A materials list will be provided upon request. Mar. 22, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Cost: $90/ members, $115/nonmembers. Location: Helen Day Art Center, 90 Pond St., Stowe. Info: 2538358, education@helenday.com, helenday.com.
INTRODUCTION TO THE LASER CUTTER: Design and create products with an Epilog laser cutter. Learn the creative process, from concept sketches to laser cutting the finished piece with a 60 watt CO2 laser. Use Adobe Illustrator software for designing and preparing work and learn techniques for working with different materials, along with cutting and assembling final creations. Prerequisite: Must be comfortable using a computer. Every Mon., Mar. 31-Apr. 21, 6-8 p.m. Cost: $160/person; $144/BCA members. Location: Generator, Memorial Auditorium, 250 Main St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, generatorvermont.com/classes.
helen day art center
RUSTIC FURNITURE PROJECT: Learn basic woodworking skills using handsaws, electric drills and sanders. Workshop covers sustainable harvesting, stock selection, design, layout, joinery and finishing. Complete a fourpeg wall rack, single-peg coat rack, towel bar or wall lamp. All materials included. Instructor: Greg Speer. Apr. 9, 9 a.m.-noon. Cost: $80/member, $105 nonmembers. Location: 56 Turner Mill La., Stowe. Info: Helen Day Art Center, 253-8358, education@helenday.com, helenday. com. BEYOND THE PENCIL: DRAWING II: Build upon foundational drawing skills and learn about new
END TABLE W/ YELLOW BIRCH TOP: Students will learn basic woodworking skills using basic hand tools including handsaws, electric drills & sanders. Workshops will cover sustainable harvesting, stock selection, design, layout, joinery and finishing. Students will take home a finished table. All materials included. Instructor: Greg Speer. Mar. 29, 9 a.m.-noon. Cost: $110/ member, $153/nonmembers. Location: 56 Turner Mill La., Stowe. Info: Helen Day Art Center, 253-8358, education@ helenday.com, helenday.com.
herbs COMMUNITY HERBALISM CLASSES: Plant and Planetary Rhythms with Emily Wheeler: Mar. 19, 6-8 p.m. Herbal Support for the Menstrual Cycle with Betzy Bancroft: Mar. 26, 6-8 p.m. Treating the Five Spirits: Chinese Medicine and Western Herbs with Brendan Kelly: Apr. 9, 6-9 p.m. Kitchen Medicine: Spring Rejuvenation with Lisa Masé: Apr. 23, 5:30-8:30 p.m. see description. Cost: $12/person; $10 for members; preregistration required; 3-hour classes are $17/$15. Location: Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, 252 Main St., Montpelier. Info: Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, 224-7100, info@ vtherbcenter.org, vtherbcenter. org. HONORING HERBAL TRADITION 2014: Herbal Apprenticeship program held on a horse farm. Covers: herbal therapies, nutritional support, diet, detox, body systems, medicine making, plant identification, tea tasting, plant spirit medicine and animal communication, wild foods, field
trips, iridology, women, childrens, mens and animal health! Textbook and United Plant Saver membership included. VSAC nondegree grants available. 1 Sat./mo. starting May 3, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Cost: $850/series. Location: Horsetail Herbs, 134 Manley Rd., Milton. Info: Horsetail Herbs, Kelley Robie, 893-0521, htherbs@comcast.net, horsetailherbs.org. WISDOM OF THE HERBS SCHOOL: Currently interviewing applicants for Wisdom of the Herbs 2014 Certification Program, Apr. 26-27, May 24-25, Jun. 28-29, Jul. 26-27, Aug. 23-24, Sep. 27-28, Oct. 25-26 and Nov. 8-9, 2014. Learn to identify wild herbaceous plants and shrubs over three seasons. Prepare local wild edibles and herbal home remedies. Practice homesteading and primitive skills, food as first medicine, and skillful use of intentionality. Experience profound connection and play with Nature. Handson curriculum includes herb walks, skill-building, sustainable harvesting and communion with the spirits of the plants. Tuition $1750; payment plan $187.50 each month. VSAC nondegree grants available to qualifying applicants; apply early. Annie McCleary, director. Location: Wisdom of the Herbs School, Woodbury. Info: 456-8122, annie@wisdomoftheherbsschool. com, wisdomoftheherbsschool. com.
language ANNOUNCING SPANISH CLASSES: Join us for adult Spanish classes this spring. Our eighth year. Learn from a native speaker via small classes, individual instruction or student tutoring. You’ll always be participating and speaking. Lesson packages for travelers. Also lessons for young children; they love it! See our website or contact us for details. Beginning week of Mar. 31 for 10 weeks. Cost: $225/10 classes of 90+ minutes each. Location: Spanish in Waterbury Center, Waterbury Center. Info: Spanish in Waterbury Center, 585-1025, spanishparavos@gmail.com, spanishwaterburycenter.com.
martial arts AIKIDO: This circular, flowing Japanese martial art is a great method to get in shape, develop core power and reduce stress. Classes for adults, children and beginners 7 days a week. Visitors are always welcome. Location: Aikido of Champlain Valley, 257 Pine St. (across from Conant Metal & Light), Burlington. Info: 951-8900, burlingtonaikido.org. AIKIDO CLASSES: Aikido trains body and spirit, promoting flexibility and strong center within flowing movement, martial
class photos + more info online SEVENDAYSVT.COM/CLASSES
sensibility with compassionate presence, respect for others, and confidence in oneself. Location: Vermont Aikido, 274 N. Winooski Ave. (2nd floor), Burlington. Info: Vermont Aikido, 862-9785, vermontaikido.org. Aikido in Balance: Learn how to manifest balance internally and externally. Move with grace and precision. Begin the study of observing your own mind.:) Tue. & Thu., 7-9 p.m. Cost: $10/class, $65 for monthly membership. Location: Tao Motion Studio, 180 Flynn Ave., Burlington. Info: Aikido in Balance, Tyler Crandall, 598-9204, tyler@aikidoinbalance.com, aikidoinbalance.com.
meditation Learn to Meditate: Through the practice of sitting still and following your breath as it goes out and dissolves, you are connecting with your heart. By simply letting yourself be, as you are, you develop genuine sympathy toward yourself. The Burlington Shambhala Center offers meditation as a path to discovering gentleness and wisdom. Shambhala Cafe (meditation and discussions) meets the first Saturday of each month, 9 a.m.-noon. An open house (intro to the center, short dharma talk and socializing) is held on the third Friday of each month, 7-9 p.m. Instruction: Sun. mornings, 9 a.m.-noon, or by appt. Sessions: Tue. & Thu., noon-1 p.m., & Mon.-Thu., 6-7 p.m. Location: Burlington Shambhala Center, 187 S. Winooski Ave., Burlington. Info: 658-6795, burlingtonshambhalactr.org.
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spirituality Working with Mandalas: A contemplative, hands-on workshop designed to introduce participants to the powerful spiritual effect that results in the process of crafting a mandala. All tools and media will be provided. Class size limited to 12. Led by Sue Mehrtens, teacher and author. Mar. 27 & Apr. 3, 10 & 17, 7-9 p.m. Cost: $60/person. Location: Jungian Center for the Spiritual Sciences, 55 Clover La., Waterbury. Info: Sue, 244-7909.
tai chi Shelburne Tai Chi: Beginners: Long River Tai Chi Circle is the school of Wolfe Lowenthal, student of Professor Cheng Man-ching and author of three classic works on tai chi chuan. Patrick Cavanaugh, a longtime student of Wolfe Lowenthal and a senior instructor at Long River, will be teaching the classes in Shelburne. Class begins Wed., Apr. 2, 10-11 a.m. Cost: $65/mo. (registration open through Apr. 30). Location: Shelburne Town Hall (in front of the library), 5376 Shelburne Rd., Shelburne. Info: Long River Tai Chi Circle, Patrick Cavanaugh, 490-6405, patrick@longrivertaichi.org, longrivertaichi.org.
Musical Theatre Professional Training Workshop: Join Bill Reed and world-class faculty members from the Circle in the Square Theatre School in New York City for this weeklong professional musical theatre training intensive. Through this transformative immersion experience, paticipants will enhance their vocal technique and release physical inhibitions. Jun. 22-28. Cost: $650/person if paid in full by Mar. 15; $700/person after Mar. 15. Location: Spotlight Vermont, 50 San Remo Dr., S. Burlington. Info: Sally Olson, admin@theatricalsinger.com, billreedvoicestudio.com.
writing A Day in the Life: Instructor Mark Pendergrast. Participants will choose a different occupation to investigate and will find an appropriate, willing subject who works in that field to write about and interview. Pendergrast will suggest alternate methods of turning the raw interview and research material into articles for publication. Mon., Mar 24. Cost: $45/2.5-hour class. Location: Wind Ridge Books of Vermont Writers Barn, 233 Falls Rd., Shelburne. Info: Wind Ridge Books of Vermont, Kimberlee Harrison, 985-3091, kimberlee@windridgebooksofvt. com, windridgebooksofvt.com. Storyteller’s Workshop: Writing, Developing and Performing Personal Narrative for the Stage with Mark Stein. Emphasis will be on telling true, first-person narratives. One class devoted to fiction and folk tales. Participants will develop skills as storytellers, both in creation
Writers’ Retreat in Nantucket: Women Writers’ Retreat in Nantucket with Renegade Writers Jessica Henley Nelson and Angi Palm. Do you dream of getting away from the distractions of daily life and finding a quiet place to write? Join author/editors Jessica Henley Nelson and Angi Palm for six blissful days in Nantucket. 6 days in Nantucket. Cost: $950/6 days. Location: Wind Ridge Books of Vermont Writers Barn, 233 Falls Rd., Shelburne. Info: Wind Ridge Books of Vermont, Kimberlee Harrison, 985-3091, kimberlee@windridgebooksofvt. com, windridgebooksofvt.com.
yoga Burlington Hot Yoga: Try something different!: Offering creative, vinyasa-style yoga classes featuring practice in the Barkan and Prana Flow Method Hot Yoga in a 95-degree studio accompanied by eclectic music. Ahh, the heat on a cold day, a flowing practice, the cool stone meditation, a chilled orange scented towel to complete your spa yoga experience. Get hot: 2-for-1 offer. $15. Go to hotyogaburlingtonvt.com. Location: North End Studio B, 294 N Winooski Ave., Old North End, Burlington. Info: 999-9963. Evolution Yoga: Evolution Yoga and Physical Therapy offers a variety of classes in a supportive atmosphere: Beginner, advanced, kids, babies, post- and pre-natal, community classes and workshops. Vinyasa, Kripalu, Core, Therapeutics and Alignment classes. Become part of our yoga community. You are welcome here. Cost: $15/class, $130/class card, $5-10/community classes. Location: Evolution
Laughing River Yoga: Highly trained and dedicated teachers offer yoga classes, workshops, retreats and teacher training in a beautiful setting overlooking the Winooski River. Check our website to learn about classes, advanced studies for yoga teachers, class series for beginners and more. All bodies and abilities welcome. Now offering massage. $5-14/single yoga class; $120/10-class card; $130/ monthly unlimited. Location: Laughing River Yoga, Chace Mill, suite 126, Burlington. Info: 3438119, laughingriveryoga.com. Yoga Roots: Flexible, inflexible, athletic, pregnant, stressed, recovering from injury or illness? Yoga Roots has something for you! Skillful, dedicated teachers are ready to welcome, nurture and inspire you in our calming studio: Anusara, Gentle, Kids, Kundalini, Kripalu, Meditation, Prenatal, Postnatal (Baby & Me), Therapeutic Restorative, Vinyasa Flow, Heated Vinyasa, Yin & more! Yoga Roots Sprouts (ages 2-5 w/ parents & caregivers) Thu., 10:45-11:30 a.m.; Yoga Roots Saplings (K-4th grade) Mon., 3:30-4:30 p.m. Location: Yoga Roots, 6221 Shelburne Rd., Shelburne Business Park. Info: 985-0090, yogarootsvt.com.
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Asian Bodywork Therapy Program: This program teaches two forms of massage, Amma and Shiatsu. We will explore Oriental medicine theory and diagnosis as well as the body’s meridian system, acupressure points, Yin Yang and 5-Element Theory. Additionally, 100 hours of Western anatomy and physiology will be taught. VSAC nondegree grants are
Traditional Chinese Qigong: May 2-6. Cost: $770/person. Location: Karme Choling, 369 Patneaude Lane, Barnet. Info: 633-2384, registration@ karmecholing.org, karmecholing.org.
theater
Honest Yoga, The only dedicated Hot Yoga Flow Center: Honest Yoga offers practice for all levels. Brand new beginners’ courses include two specialty classes per week for four weeks plus unlimited access to all classes. We have daily classes in Essentials, Flow and Core Flow with alignment constancy. We hold teacher trainings at the 200- and 500-hour levels. Daily classes & workshops. $25/new student 1st week unlimited, $15/class or $130/10-class card, $12/ class for student or senior or $100/10-class punch card. Location: Honest Yoga Center, 150 Dorset St., Blue Mall, next to Sport Shoe Center, S. Burlington. Info: 497-0136, honestyogastudio@gmail.com, honestyogacenter.com.
SEVEN DAYS
massage
BARSCULPT/MAT PILATES CLASSES: Pilates Evolved! High energy barre classes use ballet barres and, like our Mat Classes, small hand weights and mats for intense one-hour workouts. Change your body in just a few classes led by a friendly, licensed instructor. Build strength and cardio and create long, lean muscles and lift your seat. Daily. Cost: $15/1-hour class. Location: Studio 208, 208 Flynn Ave., suite 3K, Burlington. Info: Burlington Barre, 862-8686, corestudioburlington@gmail.com, burlingtonbarrevt.com.
Introduction to Qi gong: Qi Gong refers to a group of exercises that help to cultivate and regulate the flow of qi (vital energy) in the body. In this workshop we will move through a series of exercises designed to help participants, calm the mind, increase body awareness and improve the circulation of qi. Sat. Apr. 5, 10-11 a.m. Cost: $15/person. Location: Sacred Mountain Studio, 215 College St., Burlington. Info: Abair Acupuncture, Carrie Abair, 9999717, abairacupuncture@gmail. com, abairacupuncture.com.
Travel Writing: Travel Writing with Tim Brookes. This travel writing workshop will move through a series of exercises designed to help the writer hone essential observation, reflection and writing skills and will culminate in a finished piece. Outstanding work will be considered for an anthology of travel writing to be published in 2015. Thu. evenings beginning Mar. 27, 6-8 p.m. Cost: $120/2-hour classes. Location: Wind Ridge Books of Vermont Writers Barn, 233 Falls Rd., Shelburne. Info: Wind Ridge Books of Vermont, Kimberlee Harrison, 985-3091, kimberlee@windridgebooksofvt. com, windridgebooksofvt.com.
Yoga, 20 Kilburn St., Burlington. Info: 864-9642, evolutionvt.com.
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Dog Classes in S. Burlington: Offered by Gold Star Dog Training and S. Burlington Recreation. Fun, effective classes to raise a well-mannered pup or teach your older dog a few new tricks. Basic and intermediate classes focusing on obedience/manner, social skills, building relationship, and understanding dog communication and using an easy-to-apply dog training approach. Classes meet weekly on Fri. Basic Training and Social Skills, Mar. 14-Apr. 18, 5:306:30 p.m., or May 23-Jun. 27, 5:30-6:30 p.m.; Beyond Basics, May 23-Jun. 20, 6:45-7:45 p.m.; Deb’s 3-Week Training Tune-up, May 2-May 16, 5:30-6:30 p.m., or Jul. 11-Jul. 25, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Location: City Hall, 575 Dorset St., S. Burlington. Info: 864-4108, sburlrecdept.com.
qi gong
Yang-Style Tai Chi: The slow movements of tai chi help reduce blood pressure and increase balance and concentration. Come breathe with us and experience the joy of movement while increasing your ability to be inwardly still. Wed., 5:30 p.m., Sat., 8:30 a.m. $16/class, $60/mo., $160/3 mo. Location: Mindful Breath Tai Chi (formerly Vermont Tai Chi Academy and Healing Center), 180 Flynn Ave., Burlington. Info: 735-5465, mindfulbreath@gmavt.net.
of compelling material and in effective, powerful delivery at performance time. Wed. evenings starting Mar. 26, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Cost: $180/2hour class. Location: Wind Ridge Books of Vermont Writers Barn, 233 Falls Rd., Shelburne. Info: Wind Ridge Books of Vermont, Kimberlee Harrison, 985-3091, kimberlee@windridgebooksofvt. com, windridgebooksofvt.com.
SEVENDAYSvt.com
VERMONT BRAZILIAN JIUJITSU: Classes for men, women and children. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu enhances strength, flexibility, balance, coordination and cardio-respiratory fitness. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training builds and helps to instill courage and selfconfidence. We offer a legitimate Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu martial arts program in a friendly, safe and positive environment. Accept no imitations. Learn from one of the world’s best, Julio “Foca” Fernandez, CBJJ and IBJJF certified 6th Degree Black Belt, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor under Carlson Gracie Sr., teaching in Vermont, born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil! A 5-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu National Featherweight Champion and 3-time Rio de Janeiro State Champion, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Mon.-Fri., 6-9 p.m., & Sat., 10 a.m. 1st class is free. Location: Vermont Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, 55 Leroy Rd., Williston. Info: 660-4072, julio@bjjusa.com, vermontbjj.com.
Snake-Style Tai Chi Chuan: The Yang Snake Style is a dynamic tai chi method that mobilizes the spine while stretching and strengthening the core body muscles. Practicing this ancient martial art increases strength, flexibility, vitality, peace of mind and martial skill. Beginner classes Sat. mornings & Wed. evenings. Call to view a class. Location: Bao Tak Fai Tai Chi Institute, 100 Church St., Burlington. Info: 864-7902, ipfamilytaichi.org.
available. NCBTMB-assigned school. Cost: $5,000/500-hour program. Location: Elements of Healing, 21 Essex Way, suite 109, Essex Junction. Info: Elements of Healing, Scott Moylan, 288-8160, elementsofhealing@verizon.net, elementsofhealing.net.
music
SCAN THESE PAGES WITH THE LAYAR APP TO WATCH VIDEOS OF THE ARTISTS SEE PAGE 9
Redemption Songs Glen David Andrews sets his sights beyond New Orleans
SEVENDAYSVT.COM 03.19.14-03.26.14 SEVEN DAYS 66 MUSIC
SEVEN DAYS: The new record, Redemption, implies you’ve been redeemed. In what ways? GLEN DAVID ANDREWS: I’ve been working hard for the last 20 years to get where I want to go, and I’m excited to see it finally happening. SD: Having spent so much time plugging away, has your perception of what success means changed? GDA: No. I’ve always believed in a hardwork ethic and dedication. Nothing is going to come overnight. You have to work hard at it. And I accepted that at a very young age. I could see how much work it takes to be a professional musician and really break it.
THAT’S WHAT I LIKE MOST ABOUT RECORDS:
THEY’RE RAW.
GL E N D AVID ANDR EWS
COURTESY OF GLEN DAVID ANDREWS
T
he central theme of Glen David Andrews’ new record is not difficult to decipher. Titled Redemption, his latest studio effort is a declaration that the talented trombonist and vocalist has risen above his troubled past. A native of the storied Tremé district of New Orleans, Andrews was practically born with a trombone his hand, much like his cousin Troy Andrews, better known as Trombone Shorty. But unlike his ascendant cousin, widespread recognition has been slow to come to Glen David Andrews. He hopes Redemption will change that. Andrews is reluctant to talk about his past struggles with drugs and alcohol, preferring to focus on the present. And why not? His new album is a scintillating blend of R&B, funk, rock and gospel that speaks clearly enough. It boasts some marquee Crescent City talent, including Ivan Neville, gospel singer Mahalia Jackson and Galactic’s Ben Ellman. But Andrews is quick to point out that the album is not merely a “New Orleans record.” You’ll find no renditions of “St. James Infirmary” or “When the Saints Go Marching In” here. Instead, Redemption offers a glimpse at a talent finally, and fully, realizing his profound abilities. “This is a testament to my actual life,” says Andrews from his New Orleans home in a recent phone interview. In advance of Andrews’ show at the Rusty Nail in Stowe this Saturday, March 22, here is that interview in its entirety.
BY D AN BO L L E S
and we talked about how New Orleans is a city steeped in musical tradition, but that the real tradition is that the music there is always evolving and changing. What are your thoughts about that? GDA: Music has to evolve. Music has been evolving from the day it was created, from the drums in Africa to rhythms in Cuba to European instrumentation that all came together in jazz. If you don’t like it, that’s your choice. But music has to evolve. SD: What are you listening to these days? GDA: Right now what’s on my turntable is a gospel record from Ike and Tina Turner, What a Friend We Have in Jesus. I don’t really listen to CDs or music on the iPod. I like records, because every instrument is actually being played. That’s not a drum loop, that’s not a computer. That’s a human being. That’s what I like most about records: They’re raw.
SD: When you were planning the record, were there specific people you knew you wanted to work with? GDA: People who have been on the same journey as myself. Ivan Neville, Anders Osborne. Jamison Ross, who is a Thelonious Monk Award winner. He’s a positive spirit and a wonderful singer. And he might be one of the best drummers in America. But I’ve never saturated my records with guests just because they have a name. SD: It’s more that you’re just friends with these folks, so they play on your record? GDA: That’s mostly what it is. I’ve always wanted to work with people because we have been on the same journey and have something musically in common. SD: Were you surprised by anything on the record? GDA: My biggest surprise was Mahalia
Jackson singing on it. I get to listen to my all-time favorite gospel singer, whose posters I have on my wall, I get to listen to her voice on my record with me. That’s the highlight of my year. SD: Your cousin, Trombone Shorty, has been blowing up lately. What is it like for you to see him do so well? GDA: I grew up playing music with Troy, and so everything he’s done we already knew he would do. He’s just one of those people with God-gifted sheer talent. SD: So you knew he was special from the beginning. GDA: He always had it. There was never a question about it. The guy was playing the trombone at 2 years old and was actually playing it. He could barely hold it but he was playing it. SD: I spoke with Troy a few years ago
SD: Is that an idea you employed on your own record? GDA: With Redemption, I had the opportunity to work with one of the biggest producers of all time, Leo Sacks. So I humbled myself to the process. I did not want to do a “New Orleans record.” That’s not what this is. It’s a national record. And I achieved that with the sound, the songwriting. I didn’t like every suggestion. But I was smart enough to take them in and use them. SD: Was that tough, to take a backseat in your own music? GDA: Not at all. That’s what it takes to succeed in this business. You have to take your arrogance and pride and put it on the side. The problem in music is that most people don’t see the big picture. They want to see it, they want to talk about it. But when it comes to enacting it, they’re full of bullshit. I don’t have time for that. I’ve been in this game too long to want to be a big fish in a little pond. I want to be a big fish in the ocean.
INFO Glen David Andrews, Saturday, March 22, 9 p.m. at the Rusty Nail in Stowe. $8.
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for up-to-the-minute news abut the local music scene, follow @DanBolles on Twitter or read the Live Culture blog: sevendaysvt.com/liveculture.
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It’s been a nice run for new venues and improved venues in Vermont of late. In the last 18 months or so, Burlington has seen the rise of ArtsRiot and Signal Kitchen as dynamic new spaces for rocking — and, in the case of the former venue, dining and writing and yoga-ing. Those additions have been bolstered by a massive expansion of the Skinny Pancake that has allowed the waterfront crêperie to open its doors to bigger touring acts. Beyond the Queen City bubble, Sweet Melissa’s has helped reenergize live music in Montpelier, while the newly reopened Rusty Nail fills a void in Stowe that elevates live music in that town beyond the typical après-ski bar band fare. Understandably, those developments have garnered quite a bit of attention and buzz; you’d almost think the North Country was a cultural black hole prior to ArtsRiot delivering us from our unhip, appropriately fitting jeans doldrums. But I would suggest that the additions of those spaces have simply complemented and enhanced an already vital scene. I’d argue further that those new venues likely wouldn’t be such wild successes without the
foundation that had already been laid by many of the area’s longer-tenured venues, joints such as Higher Ground, Nectar’s, Radio Bean and the Monkey House. Because of those clubs, the local concertgoing public practically feels entitled to have cool music on tap every week. And so we do. While I love and appreciate the new spots as much as anyone else, I’d urge you not to forget about the venues that got us to this point. Of all the Burlington-area venues, the Monkey House is perhaps the most unlikely hotspot. Prior to the recent development of Winooski as an emerging nightlife hub, the Monkey was more an out-of-the-way destination venue. With the swell of new restaurants and bars in the Onion City, that’s less the case now, as patrons might be more apt to drop by after dinner at Misery Loves Co. or drinks at the Mule Bar. But not too long ago, most of us on the BTV side had to make
a concerted effort to cross the river. And the club often gave us good reason to do exactly that. For the last seven years or so, the Monkey House has been the epicenter for underground indie music in the greater Burlington area, filling a niche that other venues couldn’t. The bar found a sweet spot with nationally touring bands that were perhaps too big for Radio Bean, not big enough for Higher Ground and outside the usual bailiwick of venues like Nectar’s and Club Metronome. In the justifiable excitement over ArtsRiot and Signal Kitchen — two nightspots that serve a similar demographic as the Monkey House — it’s only natural that interest in the Winooski haunt might wane a bit. But this weekend, the club will offer a potent reminder of why it’s still one of the area’s best places to see live music. And actually, it might be better than ever. If you haven’t been in the last couple of months, you might not realize that Monkey House recently underwent a significant renovation. Specifically, the stage has been moved from its original, rather cramped location by the front door to the back of the room. It is now both bigger and taller, which provides more room for bands to stretch out and better sight lines for the crowd. On a recent trip there, my girlfriend noted that it feels a bit awkward to have to pass by the stage to hit the restrooms, since the whole audience can see you. But I’d counter that it’s less awkward than those times when you’d have to leave during a band’s set and sheepishly walk past the stage to exit. The point is, the new stage is a major improvement and should make shows at the Monkey House even more enjoyable. Like, say, the one this Friday, March 21. In honor of the spiffy new upgrade, the Monkey House is hosting a daylong renovation party on Friday, featuring some 19 bands and DJs. The DJ lineup includes Disco Phantom, hilary martin, J Boom, Jason cooley and sasquatch, in addition to two acts that are currently tied for my favorite DJ names of all
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music
cLUB DAtES NA: not availaBlE. AA: all agEs.
courtEsy of Anthony jEsElnik
WED.19 burlington
HalfloungE: Funkwagon Karaoke, 8 p.m., free. JP'S PuB: Pub Quiz with Dave, 7 p.m., free. lEunIg'S BISTRo & CafÉ: Paul Asbell, clyde Stats and chris Peterman, (jazz), 7 p.m., free. ManHaTTan PIZZa & PuB: open mic with Andy Lugo, 9 p.m., free.
Offensively Challenged JESElnIK
olDE noRTHEnDER: The Red Newts, (countryblues), 9 p.m., free.
Roseanne Barr and Charlie Sheen, which he did as part of
RaDIo BEan: Fabian Rainville, (American guitar music), 7 p.m., free. Irish Sessions, 9 p.m., free. Squimley and the Woolens, (jam), 11 p.m., free.
Comedy Central roasts of each celeb, or hosting his own CC
RED SQuaRE: Jake Whitesell trio, (jazz), 7 p.m., free. mashtodon, (hip-hop), 11 p.m., free.
critically acclaimed comedy albums Shakespeare and Caligula
show, “The Jeselnik Offensive.” But as good as he is on TV, his reveal that Jeselnik is at his best in his native environs: onstage, as a cutting-edge standup. Catch him at the Higher Ground
THE SKInnY PanCaKE (BuRlIngTon): Josh Panda's Acoustic Soul Night, 8 p.m., $5-10 donation.
SAt.22// ANtHoNY JESELNIK [StANDUP comEDY]
ZEn loungE: tropical Wednesdays with Jah Red, (salsa, reggaeton, dancehall), 8 p.m., free.
chittenden county
northeast kingdom
THE PaRKER PIE Co.: trivia Night, 7 p.m., free.
HIgHER gRounD BallRooM: Sound Remedy, Shiftee, argonaut&wasp, (EDm), 8:30 p.m., $18/20. AA.
outside vermont
MonoPolE: open mic, 10 p.m., free. olIVE RIDlEY'S: DJ Skippy All Request Live, (top 40), 10 p.m., free.
HIgHER gRounD SHoWCaSE loungE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., chad Valley, (indie-pop), 8:30 $15/17. AA. YOUR SCANp.m., THIS PAGE
YOUR TEXT HERE
MonKEY HouSE: canopy, (rock), 8:30 p.m., TEXT WITHTHE LAYAR free/$5. 18+. Winooski Wednesday: canopy, HERE SEE PROGRAM COVER
242 MaIn: Lorin Walker madsen, (outlaw country), 7 p.m., $7.
VEnuE: tantric, (rock), 8 p.m., $16.50/20. 18+.
barre/montpelier
CluB METRonoME: Brain Gang presents the Hip-Hop Hullabaloo: the Aztext, Bless the child, FixHate, crows, mad Dog, DJ BP and host Emcee-t, 9 p.m., free.
BagIToS: Papa GreyBeard, (blues), 6 p.m., donation. THE SKInnY PanCaKE (MonTPElIER): cajun Jam with Jay Ekis, Lee Blackwell, Alec Ellsworth and Katie trautz, 6 p.m., $5-10 donation.
fInnIgan'S PuB: craig mitchell, (funk), 10 p.m., free.
SWEET MElISSa'S: Wine Down with D. Davis, (acoustic), 5 p.m., free. open Bluegrass Jam, 7 p.m., free.
HalfloungE: Half & Half comedy, (standup), 8 p.m., free.
fRannY o'S: Karaoke, 9 p.m., free.
stowe/smuggs area
nECTaR'S: trivia mania, 7 p.m., free. Driftwood, Haley Jane & the Primates, (Americana, rock), 9:30 p.m., free/$5. 18+.
Moog'S PlaCE: chickweed, (acoustic), 8 p.m., free.
RaDIo BEan: cody Sargent & Friends, (jazz), 6:30 p.m., free. Shane Hardiman trio, (jazz), 8:30 p.m., free. Kat Wright & the Indomitable Soul Band, (soul), 11:30 p.m., $5.
THE BEE'S KnEES: Bruce Jones, (folk), 7:30 p.m., donation.
middlebury area
CITY lIMITS: Karaoke, 9 p.m., free.
RED SQuaRE BluE RooM: DJ JDuBz, (EDm), 10 p.m., free. THE SKInnY PanCaKE (BuRlIngTon): John Daly trio, (folk), 8 p.m., $5-10 donation.
chittenden county
HIgHER gRounD BallRooM: Boom Box, Ichisan, (funky house, psych), 9 p.m., $15/18. AA.
on TaP BaR & gRIll: Jenni Johnson & Friends, (blues), 7 p.m., free.
burlington
on TaP BaR & gRIll: chad Hollister, (acoustic rock), 7 p.m., free.
Ballroom in South Burlington this Saturday, March 22.
THE MonKEY HouSE: Questionable company, the Dobros, (folk-funk), 8:30 p.m., $5/10. 18+.
THu.20
Funbridge, (jam), 8:30 p.m., free/$5. 18+.
SEVENDAYSVt.com
is widely regarded as one of the funniest comedians
in the biz, whether taking aim at the likes of Donald Trump,
SIgnal KITCHEn: Jacques Green, (house), 8:30 p.m., free.
RED SQuaRE: Elijah tucker, (singer-songwriter), 7 p.m., free. D Jay Baron, (hip-hop), 10 p.m., free.
on THE RISE BaKERY: Gabe Jarrett, (jazz), 7:30 p.m., free.
barre/montpelier
BagIToS: Andy Pitt, (folk), 6 p.m., donation. CHaRlIE o'S: Dystrot, DJ crucible, (metal), 10 p.m., free. SWEET MElISSa'S: Seth Eames & miriam Bernardo, (singer-songwriters), 8 p.m., free. WHaMMY BaR: Patrick monaghan, (jazz), 7 p.m., free.
stowe/smuggs area
THE BEE'S KnEES: Glenn Roth, (acoustic), 7:30 p.m., donation. MaTTERHoRn: Funk collection, (funk-rock), 9 p.m., $5. Moog'S PlaCE: open mic, 8 p.m., free. RuSTY naIl BaR & gRIllE: Red Hot Juba, (cosmic Americana), 9 p.m., $5.
middlebury area
CITY lIMITS: trivia Night, 7 p.m., free. TWo BRoTHERS loungE & STagE: DJ Dizzle, (house), 10 p.m., free.
northeast kingdom
THE PaRKER PIE Co.: Seth Yacovone, (solo acoustic blues), 7:30 p.m., free.
outside vermont
lIVIngooDS RESTauRanT & BREWERY: Giovanina Bucci, (singer-songwriter), 7 p.m., free.
fRI.21
burlington
CluB METRonoME: "No Diggity" ’90s Night, 9 p.m., free/$5. DRInK: comedy Showcase, (standup comedy), 7 p.m., $7. EaST SHoRE VInEYaRD TaSTIng RooM: Gordon Goldsmith, (acoustic), 7 p.m., free. ManHaTTan PIZZa & PuB: Rev. Ben Donovan & the congregation, (honky tonk), 9 p.m., free. nECTaR'S: Seth Yacovone, (solo acoustic blues), 7 p.m., free. Natalie cressman, the NEKtones, (rock, funk), 9 p.m., $5. RaDIo BEan: Kid's music with Linda "tickle Belly" Bassick & Friends, 11 a.m., free. David corson, fri.21
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SEVEN DAYS
03.19.14-03.26.14
anTHonY
nECTaR'S: Vt comedy club Presents: What a Joke! comedy open mic, (standup comedy), 7 p.m., free. Aqueous, (groove rock), 9:30 p.m., free/$5. 18+.
GE NEWLY RENOVATED LOUNP FULL BAR & BEERS ON TA POOL TABLE & DARTS
68 music
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CHAMPLAIN LANES
CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR... COMEDY NIGHT, MUSIC & SPECIAL EVENTS 2630 Shelburne Rd • Shelburne • 985-2576 • champlainlanes.com 8h-champlainlanes-031914.indd 1
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MONTPELIER
CO NT I NU E D F RO M PAG E 6 7 COURTESY OF QUIET LION
Concerts on the Green series and the Frendly Gathering Festival. We don’t have space in the column to repeat all that stuff again, so if you missed the post, go check it out. In the meantime, here’s a bit of summer music news that just came over the wire: The GOO GOO DOLLS will be playing this year’s Champlain Valley Fair. In a related story, the Goo Goo Dolls are apparently still a band. Who knew? Welcome back, RYAN POWER. Power and band are recently returned from an East Coast tour and will play a homecoming gig at Radio Bean on Wednesday, March 26. Normally, a band coming back from a stint on the road isn’t especially newsworthy. But I mention it because the last time Power played the Bean, several folks with ears I trust told me it was the best Ryan Power show they’d ever seen, which is saying something. After a couple of weeks on the road, I suspect the band will be in especially fine form, leading me to think this show might be one for the books. Call it a hunch.
Quiet Lion
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Hot Neon Magic
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Josh Panda & the Hot Damned
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HIP TO THE HOPS
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Durians (Album Release)
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GOT MUSIC NEWS? DAN@SEVENDAYSVT.COM
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COURTESY OF NEKO CASE
time: VINYL RITCHIE and CHICKADEEJAY & TED
DANCIN’. As always, I’m a sucker for good
BiteTorrent
wheeling
Listening In A peek at what was on my iPod, turntable, eight-track player, etc., this week.
,
SNOWMINE Dialects
,
[and, yup, still free.]
SEVEN DAYS
PERFECT PUSSY Say Yes to Love
,
FRANKIE COSMOS Zentropy
,
EAGULLS Eagulls
,
MUSIC 69
Neko Case
Speaking of summer concerts, last week we ran a post on the Seven Days arts blog Live Culture featuring a raft of updates and announcements on warmweather festivals and shows, including the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival, Waking Windows 4, the Ben & Jerry’s
thinking
03.19.14-03.26.14
Talk about burying the lead: The really big news on the local front this week is that NEKO CASE is madly in love with me. I mean, why else would she announce a show at the Flynn MainStage for Wednesday, July 2, which just happens to be my birthday? OK, fine. It’s probably a coincidence. What is not a coincidence is that tickets for the show, which is a benefit for St. Johnsbury’s Catamount Arts, go on sale to the general public this Friday, March 21. So if you’re looking for an early birthday present for this guy…
3/17/14 2:18 PM
SEVENDAYSVT.COM
puns. And those are great puns. As for the live music, the bill includes QUIET LION, OSAGE ORANGE, MARYSE SMITH, PADDY REAGAN, EASTERN MOUNTAIN TIME, the HIGH BREAKS and TOOTH ACHE., to name but a few. Also, I’m told there may be pizza.
Last but not least, the last two weeks of Soundbites columns have been pretty hip-hop centric, which has been a nice change of pace. But if after all that you still haven’t been moved to go see some local hip-hop, I’d encourage you to check out the Hip-Hop Hullabaloo at Club Metronome this Thursday, March 20. Presented by BRAIN GANG, the showcase is a veritable who’s who of hip-hop in the 802, including the AZTEXT, BLESS THE CHILD, FIXHATE, CROWS, MAD DOG, DJ BP and host EMCEE-T. Word.
DOLLY PARTON Jolene
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(singer-songwriter), 7 p.m., free. michael Bernier and Freevolt, (roots rock), 8 p.m., free. Elijah tucker, (rock), 9 p.m., free. tommy Alexander Band, (basement soul), 10:30 p.m., free. The mountain Says No, (rock), midnight., free. RÍ RÁ IRISH PUB: Supersounds DJ, (top 40), 10 p.m., free. RED SQUARE: Phil Yates & the Affiliates, (rock), 5 p.m., free. close to Nowhere, (rock), 8 p.m., $5. craig mitchell, (house), 11 p.m., $5. RED SQUARE BLUE ROOM: DJ con Yay, (EDm), 9 p.m., $5. RUBEN JAMES: DJ cre8, (hip-hop), 10 p.m., free. THE SKINNY PANCAKE (BURLINGTON): The Brummy Brothers, (bluegrass), 9 p.m., $5-10 donation. ZEN LOUNGE: DJ Rob Douglas & Guests, (house), 10 p.m., $5.
chittenden county
BACKSTAGE PUB: Jaz Entertainment DJ, (top 40), 9 p.m., free. HIGHER GROUND BALLROOM: Real Estate, Pure X, (indie rock), 8:30 p.m., $15/17/25. AA. HIGHER GROUND SHOWCASE LOUNGE: typhoon, Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, Wild ones, (indie rock), 8:30 p.m., $15/25. AA. THE MONKEY HOUSE: Renovation celebration Party, 4 p.m., free/$5. ON TAP BAR & GRILL: Nerbak Brothers, (blues), 5 p.m., free. Slick Bitch, (rock), 9 p.m., free.
TUPELO MUSIC HALL: Ed Kowalczyk, (rock), 8 p.m., $40.
northeast kingdom
THE PARKER PIE CO.: celtic Acoustic Session, 6 p.m., free.
outside vermont
MONOPOLE: mister F, (rock), 10 p.m., free. MONOPOLE DOWNSTAIRS: Happy Hour tunes & trivia with Gary Peacock, 5 p.m., free. OLIVE RIDLEY'S: craig Hurwitz & Jay Lesage, (acoustic rock), 6 p.m., free. Glass onion, (rock), 10 p.m., nA.
SAT.22
stowe/smuggs area
THE BEE'S KNEES: The Hubcats, (blues), 7:30 p.m., donation. MATTERHORN: turquaz, (funk), 9 p.m., $8. MOOG'S PLACE: Abby Sherman, (acoustic), 6:30 p.m., free. Dead Sessions Lite, (Grateful Dead tribute), 9 p.m., $5. RUSTY NAIL BAR & GRILLE: 20 Year old Dookie, Burritos, (Green Day tribute, sublime tribute), 9 p.m., $6.
middlebury area
51 MAIN AT THE BRIDGE: connect Four, (jazz), 8:30 p.m., free.
Still A-Live
ED KOWALCZYK
is best known as the front man for 1990s alt-
rock stars Live. But in 2009, the singer struck out on his own and has since carved out a modestly successful solo career, playing new original material alongside acoustic versions of the songs that made him famous, including “Lightning Crashes,” “Selling the on Friday, March 21.
burlington
ARTSRIOT: Pop-Up! A Queer Dance Party. "The Queer Uniform Party", 9 p.m., $5. 18+. CLUB METRONOME: Retronome with DJ Fattie B, (’80s dance party), 9 p.m., free/$5. FRANNY O'S: Karaoke, 9 p.m., free. JP'S PUB: Karaoke with megan, 10 p.m., free.
barre/montpelier
WHAMMY BAR: The Barn Burners, (acoustic), 7 p.m., free.
FRI.21// ED KoWALczYK [RocK]
Drama” and “I Alone.” Kowalczyk plays the Tupelo Music Hall in White River Junction
NECTAR'S: Dale and Darcy, (folk), 7 p.m., free. turkuaz, Smooth Antics, (funk), 9 p.m., $5.
SWEET MELISSA'S: michelle Sarah Band, (funk), 9 p.m., $5.
RADIO BEAN: Greg Alexander, (acoustic), 11 a.m., free. Glenn Roth, (fingerstyle guitar), 7 p.m., free. Erin cassels-Brown, (indie folk), 8 p.m., free. Shanna Underwood, (singer-songwriter), 9 p.m., free. American Beauties, (indie folk), 10:30 p.m., free. Brass Balagan, (psychedelic brass band), midnight., free. RED SQUARE: collin craig continuum, (funk), 7 p.m., $5. mashtodon, (hip-hop), 11 p.m., $5. RED SQUARE BLUE ROOM: DJ Raul, (salsa), 6 p.m., free. RÍ RÁ IRISH PUB & WHISKEY ROOM: Kenny mehler Band, (rock), 10 p.m., free. RUBEN JAMES: craig mitchell, (house), 10 p.m., free. THE SKINNY PANCAKE (BURLINGTON): Wooden Dinosaur, the Winchester Local, (indie folk), 8 p.m., $8. ZEN LOUNGE: Electric temple with DJ Atak, (EDm), 10 p.m., $5.
chittenden county
BACKSTAGE PUB: Justice, (rock), 9 p.m., free.
YOUR TEXT THE RESERVOIR RESTAURANT & TAP ROOM: Virgil HIGHER GROUND BALLROOM: Anthony Jeselnik, COVER HERE SEE PROGRAM caine & the Danville train, (rock), 10 p.m., free. HERE SCAN THIS PAGE GOOD TIMES CAFÉ: tim mcKenzie, (singersongwriter), 8:30 p.m., nA. WITH LAYAR (standup comedy), 9:30 p.m., $25/27. AA.
THE MONKEY HOUSE: Red Hot Juba, (cosmic Americana), 8:30 p.m., $5/10. 18+. ON TAP BAR & GRILL: King me, (acoustic rock), 5 p.m., free. tymes Up, (rock), 9 p.m., free. VENUE: Saturday Night mixdown with DJ Dakota & Jon Demus, 8 p.m., $5. 18+. Scram Jones, (hip-hop), 9 p.m., nA.
barre/montpelier
BAGITOS: Glenn Roth, (fingerstyle guitar), 11 a.m., donation. Irish Session, 2 p.m., donation. Acoustic Grateful Dead with mike Scarpo, 6 p.m., donation. CHARLIE O'S: Dance Party, 10 p.m., free. POSITIVE PIE (MONTPELIER): Hot Neon magic, (’80s new wave), 10 p.m., $5. SWEET MELISSA'S: Andy Pitt, (folk), 5 p.m., free. The Usual Suspects, (blues), 9 p.m., free. WHAMMY BAR: Audrey Bernstein, Joe capps, (jazz), 7 p.m., free.
stowe/smuggs area
THE BEE'S KNEES: Laslo cameo, (alt-country), 7:30 p.m., donation. MATTERHORN: Wolfpack, (rock), 9 p.m., $5. MOOG'S PLACE: Willie Edwards Blues Band, 9 p.m., free. PIECASSO PIZZERIA & LOUNGE: michelle Sarah Band, (funk), 10 p.m., free.
YOUR
mad river valley/waterbury TEXT middlebury area
CITY LIMITS: city Limits Dance Party with DJ Earl, (top 40), 9:30 p.m., free.
upper valley
TUPELO MUSIC HALL: Jake Shimabukuro, (ukulele), 8 p.m., $45/50.
northeast kingdom
THE PARKER PIE CO.: Booby Jam: A Benefit for Bettina Desrochers, (rock), 8 p.m., $5.
outside vermont
MONOPOLE: The Snacks, (rock), 10 p.m., free. OLIVE RIDLEY'S: Glass onion, (rock), 10 p.m., nA.
SUN.23 burlington
CLUB METRONOME: Sundae Soundclash: argonaut&wasp, Entendre, (funk, hip-hop), 9 p.m., free/$5. 18+. DRINK: comedy open mic, (standup comedy), 8 p.m., free. FRANNY O'S: Kyle Stevens Happiest Hour of music, (singer-songwriter), 7 p.m.
RUSTY NAIL BAR & GRILLE: Glen David Andrews, (funk, r&B, soul), 9 p.m., $8.
sun.23
» p.72
OW! N S N O R pm SUGA ndays 12-4
and Su Saturdays th - April 20 March 8th
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The 70 music
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SUGAR ON SNOW MAPLE COTTON CANDY HOT MAPLE SYRUP MAPLE CREAM COVERED DONUTS Visit the goats at the petting zoo, watch sap being boiled and enjoy a walk in the forest.
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upper valley
MANHATTAN PIZZA & PUB: causewell Apollo, (jam), 9 p.m., free.
CHARLIE O'S: Hot Diggity, chelsea Grin, (blues), 10 p.m., free.
03.19.14-03.26.14
TWO BROTHERS LOUNGE & STAGE: The Vibratones, (rock), 9 p.m., $3.
ON THE RISE BAKERY: Dan Johnson, (Americana), 7:30 p.m., donation.
BAGITOS: Art Herttua and Stephen morabito, (jazz), 6 p.m., donation.
SEVEN DAYS
CITY LIMITS: twist of Fate, (rock), 9 p.m., free. city Limits Dance Party with top Hat Entertainment, (Top 40), 9:30 p.m., free.
courTEsy of ED kowAlczyk
fri.21
cLUB DAtES
332 Shelburne-Hinesburg Road • 802-985-5054 8h-palmersugarhouse031214-k.indd 1
3/10/14 2:30 PM
Violette Ultraviolet, “exiles” (SELF-RELEASED, CD, DIGITAL DOWNLOAD)
Drums and rhythm are the glue that holds music together. So what does it mean when you listen to a song and the drums make you feel as if everything is about to fall apart? This is the case with many of the songs on “exiles,” the latest release from Burlington’s Violette Ultraviolet. The drums on the duo’s new record — much like last year’s Love Wait What Yes EP — are off-putting, at least initially. They seem like a sloppy afterthought by multiinstrumentalist and founding member Rob Voland. However, by record’s end I found I still loved the songs all the same, sloppiness be damned. That got me thinking. Sure, the rhythms on “exiles” are brittle. This is likely because Violette Ultraviolet will often go into recording sessions all but unrehearsed and then use their first takes. But what gets lost from
the beat is found in the overall artistic impact of the band’s sound, which is an exploration of emotions on the verge of unraveling. “Exiles” opens with “My Old Town,” in which singer Jake Brennan belts atop a sobbing slide guitar, “They like it when you’re down and out, they really like when they feel like you’ve got nothing left.” This poignancy persists with “One More Sunset.” Here Brennan admits, “I don’t care ’cause I bruise to the core.” It continues on the third track, “Dialogue,” where Brennan takes on the tone of Kings of Leon’s Caleb Followill, tinged with the sadness of Elliot Smith. Even the guitar solo in “Soma” seems troubled, while “Wet” asks the question, “How wet does my face need to be?” “Suicide” offers pained and wicked guitar tones alongside vocals that channel an equally pained and wicked Billy Corgan.
Wooden Dinosaur, Rhubarb Wine (SELF-RELEASED, CD, DIGITAL DOWNLOAD)
On “Talking About Death,” the lead cut
Heartache continues with “Black Tar,” which has a chilling repetitiveness dotted by reverberated piano phrases. Throughout all of this, Voland’s drums follow Brennan in telling the story of someone on the cusp of losing it all. The distress that permeates “exiles” finally climaxes with its last track, “Crimes.” Here Brennan’s voice breaks into a cathartic scream, signaling the imminent falling apart of music and emotion to end the album. Ultimately, “exiles” is the musical performance of a psyche teetering on the edge of its own collapse. This is true of Brennan’s lyrics and vocals, as well as the accompanying instrumentation — particularly Voland’s drums — making the album wholly unified in musical approach 112 Lake Street • Burlington and emotional condition. Still, the www.sansaivt.com highest compliment one can pay Violette Ultraviolet is to say that “exiles” offers us a fantastic 40 minutes of delightfully 12v-SanSai010913.indd 1 1/7/13 2:08 PM distraught, lo-fi indie rock. “Exiles” by Violette Ultraviolet is available at violetteultraviolet.bandcamp. com. MITCHELL MANACEK
SCAN THIS PAGE WITH LAYAR TO LISTEN TO TRACKS
Fresh. Filtered. Free.
What’s that
SEVEN DAYS
buzz?
03.19.14-03.26.14
intentional. Even if it’s not, it works. Following an introspective turn on “I’m All Right,” WD unveil the album’s centerpiece, “Worms.” The song is a slow-burning ballad that may owe some melodic homage to Neil Young’s “Helpless.” Here, WD’s horns frame Roberts’ own helpless musings with comforting tones that arc above the song’s SCAN THIS PAGE YOUR shimmering foundation of organ and TEXT WITH LAYAR guitar. HERE SEE PROGRAM COVER After the contemplative haze of “Drugs,” Rhubarb Wine closes on “Don’t Make It Hard.” It’s a quiet benediction that finds Roberts aching for the soft touch of an emotionally distant lover. “Please don’t make it hard to love you tonight,” he pleads. Like many of the best moments on Rhubarb Wine, that’s a simple yet loaded sentiment that cuts with bald honesty instead of byzantine cleverness. Perhaps Roberts is correct and his simplicity is not a grand artistic statement. But it’s certainly a feat, and one that makes Rhubarb Wine a simply remarkable album. Find out what’s percolating today. Rhubarb Wine by Wooden Dinosaur is Sign up to receive our house blend available at woodendinosaur.bandcamp. of local news headlines served up com. Wooden Dinosaur play the Skinny Pancake in Burlington this Saturday, in one convenient email March 22, with the Winchester Local. by Seven Days.
SEVENDAYSVT.COM
DAN BOLLES
AN INDEPENDENT ARTIST OR BAND MAKING MUSIC IN VT, SEND YOUR CD TO US! GET YOUR MUSIC REVIEWED: IFDANYOU’RE BOLLES C/O SEVEN DAYS, 255 SO. CHAMPLAIN ST. STE 5, BURLINGTON, VT 05401
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MUSIC 71
from Wooden Dinosaur’s 2012 record Spaces, songwriter Michael Roberts confronted mortality. As he often does, Roberts tackled an enormous question by looking for small answers. And he found them. “We’re just ordinary people, too bad we’re so plain,” he sang. “If I was home now, I surely would stay.” The implication being that home is where the heart is. And to take the logic a step further: If you have love, then you have life. Given Roberts’ proclivity for lyrical ambiguity and nuance, not to mention the magnitude of his philosophical quandary, that’s kind of a hokey conclusion. And yet it’s perfectly reasonable. Prior to recording WD’s 2010 debut Nearly Lost Stars, Roberts had indulged a sort of existential wanderlust, traveling to Mongolia in search of … something. But it wasn’t until he came home and settled in Brattleboro that he began to understand what he had really been looking for. Each of his band’s records has reflected a sense of clarity through simplicity. The vague, ethereal expanse of Nearly Lost Stars gave way to the artful yet playful
focus of Spaces. The band’s new record, Rhubarb Wine, written while Roberts and his wife built their home, is even more grounded. As he puts it, the album contains “no big artistic statements” and “no cleverness.” Indeed, Rhubarb Wine is Wooden Dinosaur’s most straightforward recording to date. Recorded mostly live in Roberts’ recently finished Brattleboroarea house, it retains the cozy feel of an informal session among friends. The opening title track swells with pastoral serenity as Katie Trautz’s languid fiddle drifts above a lilting acoustic guitar. “Rhubarb wine you turn from green to red/ every night I seem to find my bed,” Roberts sings with a rosy, contented hum. On the duet “Sucker,” Trautz pairs her own girl-next-door croon with Roberts’ warm rasp. It’s a touching, understated ode to wandering and heartache. “Walking Along” is a haphazard stroll colored by a punchdrunk horn section that feels equal parts New Orleans second line and community band. Wooden Dinosaur have always taken great care in their arrangements, so it’s likely that the song’s gleeful, disorganized air is
802.862.2777
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NECTAR'S: mI YARD Reggae Night with DJs Big Dog and Demus, 9 p.m., free. RADIO BEAN: mint Julep, (jazz), 11 a.m., free. Saloon Sessions with Brett Hughes, (country), 1 p.m., free. operation Hennessey, (folk punk), 7 p.m., free. matthew Azrieli, (indie folk), 8 p.m., free. Surly Dylan Suttles, (indie rock), 9 p.m., free. Revibe, (rock), 10:30 p.m., free. THE SKINNY PANCAKE (BURLINGTON): Bluegrass Brunch, noon., $5-10 donation. Fat Laughs at the Skinny Pancake, (improv comedy), 7 p.m., $3. ZEN LOUNGE: In the Biz with mashtodon, (hip-hop), 9 p.m., free.
chittenden county
BACKSTAGE PUB: Karaoke/open mic, 8 p.m., free. HIGHER GROUND BALLROOM: G-Eazy, Rockie Fresh, tory Lanez, Kurt Rockmore, (hip-hop), 8:30 p.m., $15/17. AA. HIGHER GROUND SHOWCASE LOUNGE: Found Footage Festival, (film), 8 p.m., $10/12. AA. HINESBURGH PUBLIC HOUSE: Sunday Jazz with George Voland, 4:30 p.m., free. PENALTY BOX: trivia With a twist, 4 p.m., free.
barre/montpelier
BAGITOS: The Winchester Local, carly Howard, (indie folk), 11 a.m., donation. THE SKINNY PANCAKE (MONTPELIER): William Borg Schmitt, (singersongwriter), 6 p.m., $5-10 donation.
stowe/smuggs area
THE BEE'S KNEES: Shanna Underwood, (singer-songwriter), 11 a.m., donation.
MON.24
SEVEN DAYS
03.19.14-03.26.14
SEVENDAYSVt.com
burlington
HALfLOUNGE: Family Night, (rock), 10:30 p.m., free.
with original score by Zentauri, 9 p.m., free/$5. 18+. RADIO BEAN: William Borg Schmitt, (singer-songwriter), 7 p.m., free. open mic, 9 p.m., free. THE SKINNY PANCAKE (BURLINGTON): Kidz music with Raphael, 11 a.m., $5-10 donation.
chittenden county
ON TAP BAR & GRILL: open mic with Wylie, 7 p.m., free.
stowe/smuggs area
MOOG'S PLACE: Seth Yacovone, (solo acoustic blues), 7 p.m., free.
TUE.25
burlington
CLUB METRONOME: Dead Set with cats Under the Stars, (Grateful Dead tribute), 9 p.m., free/$5. fRANNY O'S: Dawna Hammers, (singersongwriter), 9 p.m., free. HALfLOUNGE: Funkwagon's tequila Project, (funk), 10 p.m., free. LEUNIG'S BISTRO & CAfÉ: cody Sargent, (jazz), 7 p.m., free. NECTAR'S: Dead Relay, the Red Newts, (rock), 9 p.m., free/$5. 18+. RADIO BEAN: Stephen callahan trio, (jazz), 6 p.m., free. trevor Wilson Vocal Ensemble, (experimental dream pop), 8:30 p.m., free. Honky tonk tuesday with Brett Hughes & Friends, 10 p.m., $3. RED SQUARE: craig mitchell, (house), 7 p.m., free. ZEN LOUNGE: Karaoke with megan calla-Nova, 9 p.m., free.
chittenden county
HIGHER GROUND BALLROOM: The Infamous Stringdusters, Fruition, (progressive bluegrass), 8 p.m., $16. AA. THE MONKEY HOUSE: cask mouse, (country), 8:30 p.m., $5/10. 18+. ON TAP BAR & GRILL: trivia Night, 7 p.m., free.
barre/montpelier
BAGITOS: The People's café, (poetry), 6 p.m., donation. SWEET MELISSA'S: Andy Plante, (folk), 5 p.m., free.
stowe/smuggs area
THE BEE'S KNEES: children's Sing Along with Lesley Grant, 10:30 a.m., donation. William Borg Schmitt, (singer-songwriter), 7:30 p.m., donation. MOOG'S PLACE: The Jason Wedlock Show, (rock), 7:30 p.m., free.
TWO BROTHERS LOUNGE & STAGE: Karaoke with Roots Entertainment, 9 p.m., free.
Country Pride
Take the whiskey-soaked pop
sensibilities of Too Far to Care-era Old 97’s, filter them though a countrypolitan sheen and maybe gussy it all up with a little Charlie
WED.26
Daniels-esque fiddle fire, and you’ve got a rough approximation of
burlington SCAN THIS PAGE CLUB METRONOME: The Heavy WITH LAYAR Weights, (EDm), 10 p.m., free/$5. 18+.
CASK MOUSE.
JP'S PUB: Pub Quiz with Dave, 7 p.m., free. LEUNIG'S BISTRO & CAfÉ: James Stout & tyler Bolles, (gypsy jazz), 7 p.m., free. MANHATTAN PIZZA & PUB: open mic with Andy Lugo, 9 p.m., free. NECTAR'S: Vt comedy club Presents: What a Joke! comedy open mic, (standup comedy), 7 p.m., free. Aqueous, the mantras, (groove rock), 9:30 p.m., $7/10. 18+. RADIO BEAN: Lotango, (light jazz), 6:30 p.m., free. Irish Sessions, 9 p.m., free. Ryan Power, (experimental pop), 10:30 p.m., free. RED SQUARE: The Usual Suspects, (blues), 7 p.m., free. mashtodon, (hip-hop), 11 p.m., free. THE SKINNY PANCAKE (BURLINGTON): Josh Panda's Acoustic Soul Night, 8 p.m., $5-10 donation.
Master of Science in
TEXT
TEXT
twangy sound. Cask Mouse play the Monkey HERE HERE House in Winooski on Tuesday, March 25.
8 p.m., free.
ZEN LOUNGE: tropical Wednesdays with Jah Red, (salsa, reggaeton, dancehall), 8 p.m., free.
The Allston-based band draws inspiration from a wide
YOURidioms past and present, YOUR delivering a timeless, array of country
SEE PROGRAM 1/2 SPEAKEASY: Funkwagon Karaoke,COVER
chittenden county
HIGHER GROUND BALLROOM: mason Jennings, Sera calhoone, (singersongwriters), 7:30 p.m., $15. AA. HIGHER GROUND SHOWCASE LOUNGE: Luísa maita, (Brazilian pop), 8 p.m., $17/20. AA. ON TAP BAR & GRILL: Blues Jam with the collin craig trio, 7 p.m., free. ON THE RISE BAKERY: open Bluegrass Session, 7:30 p.m., free.
barre/montpelier
BAGITOS: Padre Pauly, (indie folk), 6 p.m., donation. CHARLIE O'S: William Borg Schmitt, (singer-songwriter), 8 p.m., free. THE SKINNY PANCAKE (MONTPELIER): cajun Jam with Jay Ekis, Lee Blackwell, Alec Ellsworth and Katie trautz, 6 p.m., $5-10 donation. SWEET MELISSA'S: Wine Down with D. Davis, (acoustic), 5 p.m., free. carrie
cook, Peter Lind & D. Davis, (acoustic), 7 p.m., free.
stowe/smuggs area
THE BEE'S KNEES: Fred Brauer, (singersongwriter), 7:30 p.m., donation. MOOG'S PLACE: Rudy Dauth, (folk), 8 p.m., free.
middlebury area
CITY LIMITS: Karaoke, 9 p.m., free.
northeast kingdom
THE PARKER PIE CO.: trivia Night, 7 p.m., free.
outside vermont
MONOPOLE: open mic, 10 p.m., free. OLIVE RIDLEY'S: completely Stranded comedy troupe, (improv comedy), 7 p.m., free. DJ Skippy All Request Live, (top 40), 10 p.m., free. m
Healthy Volunteers Needed
Graduate Program Community Mental Health in Community Mental Health & Mental Health Counseling
Help your community. Participate in a study to develop a West Nile vaccine.
Classes meet one weekend a month • Nationally recognized, competency-based program
Classes meet one weekend a month in Burlington, Vermont • 48- and 60-credit Master’s degree options and continuing education classes Preparation for licensure as a mental health or professional • Preparation for licensure as a mental health or professional counselor counselor in New Hampshire, Maine,Maine, Vermont and other in New Hampshire, Vermont and other states states. Meet with a Program Representative March 25, 4:30-6 p.m. Specializations focused on clinical services and administration in Integrated Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse 463 Mountain View Drive, Suite 101, Colchester Services for Children, Youth and Families or Adults.
We are looking for healthy adults aged 50-65. This research study will take place over a year-long period. Most of the visits are concentrated within the first and sixth months of the study. Volunteers are eligible for up to $2,300 in compensation.
Specializations focused on clinical services and Accepting applications now for administration in Integrated Community Mental Manchester, Burlington, VT Health and Substance Abuse Services forNH, Children, Youth and Families or Adults. and Brunswick, ME 72 music
tUE.25// cASK moUSE [coUNtRY]
middlebury area
NECTAR'S: metal mondays: Predator
VACCINE TESTING CENTER
Phone: 800.730.5542 | E-mail: pcmhadmissions@snhu.edu | www.snhu.edu/fosters1 800.730.5542 | pcmhadmissions@snhu.edu | snhu.edu/pcmh 6h-snhu031914.indd 1
courtEsy of cAsk mousE
sun.23
cLUB DAtES
3/12/14 11:11 AM
FOR MORE INFO, VISIT UVMVTC.ORG, CALL (802) 656-0013 OR EMAIL UVMVTC@UVM.EDU 6h-UVMDeptOfMed031514 1
3/17/14 1:09 PM
venueS.411
StoWE/SMuggS ArEA
bEE’S kNEES, 82 Lower Main St., Morrisville, 888-7889 clAirE’S rEStAurANt & bAr, 41 Main St., Hardwick, 472-7053 mAttErhorN, 4969 Mountain Rd., Stowe, 2538198 moog’S plAcE, Portland St., Morrisville, 851-8225 piEcASSo, 899 Mountain Rd., Stowe, 253-4411 rimrockS mouNtAiN tAVErN, 394 Mountain Rd., Stowe, 253-9593 thE ruStY NAil, 1190 Mountain Rd., Stowe, 2536245 SwEEt cruNch bAkEShop, 246 Main St., Hyde Park, 888-4887 VErmoNt AlE houSE, 294 Mountain Rd., Stowe, 2536253
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OPEN HOUSE 479,000
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51 mAiN At thE briDgE, 51 Main St., Middlebury, 3888209 bAr ANtiDotE, 35C Green St., Vergennes, 877-2555 citY limitS, 14 Greene St., Vergennes, 877-6919 tourtErEllE, 3629 Ethan Allen Hwy., New Haven, 453-6309 two brothErS louNgE & StAgE, 86 Main St., Middlebury, 388-0002
$
8/26/13 3:55 PM
rutlAnD ArEA
picklE bArrEl Nightclub, Killington Rd., Killington, 422-3035
Sunday 3/23 1pm-3pm
CHAMPlAin iSlAnDS/ nortHWESt
KYLE EDDY
kyle-eddy@kw.com | 802-881-9911
1854 Spear Street Charlotte, VT 8h-KathyHolmes031914.indd 1
chow! bEllA, 28 N. Main St., St. Albans, 524-1405 thE iSlAND hub, 1 Hyde Rd., Grand Isle, 372-3772 SNow ShoE loDgE & pub, 13 Main St., Montgomery Center, 326-4456
3/18/14 12:18 PM
“A MUSIC LEGEND FOR OUR GENERATION.”—Bust
A Joint Benefit Event
NEKO CASE
uPPEr VAllEY
brEAkiNg grouNDS, 245 Main St., Bethel, 392-4222 croSSroADS bAr & grill, 108 Rainbow St., South Royalton, 763-2002 tupElo muSic hAll, 188 S. Main St., White River Jct., 698-8341
nortHEASt kingDoM
browN’S mArkEt biStro, 1618 Scott Highway, Groton, 584-4124 muSic box, 147 Creek Rd., Craftsbury, 586-7533 pArkEr piE co., 161 County Rd., West Glover, 525-3366 phAt kAtS tAVErN, 101 Depot St., Lyndonville, 626-3064
Wednesday, July 2 at 8 pm, MainStage On sale to Flynn and Catamount Arts members now and the general public Friday, March 21 at 10 am. Sponsor
www.flynncenter.org or call 86-flynn today! 8h-flynn031914-2.indd 1
3/17/14 2:30 PM
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Shade of Pale “White Wash,” S.P.A.C.E. Gallery
74 ART
SEVEN DAYS
03.19.14-03.26.14
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I
f timing is everything, Ashley Roark has to be feeling fulfilled. She’s the curator of “White Wash,” a group show that opened earlier this month at the S.P.A.C.E. Gallery in Burlington. “There is a beautifully eerie quality of winter when there’s a fresh blanket of snow on the ground,” reads an introductory panel, “and here in Vermont, we are in the thick of it.” Sure enough, more than 18 inches of whiteness enveloped Burlington soon after “White Wash” opened. Curiously, only a couple of the 40plus pieces in the show allude directly to snow. But all of them have been crafted with the pale palette that Roark used as an organizing element, and which she describes in her posted intro as “quiet, serene and ghostly.” Prints, collages, drawings, ceramics, photographs, sculptures and installations make up this diverse display of works by mostly young local artists. Their efforts vary in quality as much as in media. And that unevenness can apply even to pieces created by the same individual. Roark herself, for example, is represented in the show by nine small collages of layered fragments of paper that have a crowded, cluttered look. They’re utterly unlike the beautifully simple — and simply beautiful — array of more than 100 floral pins that she has pushed into a gallery wall to form a pattern resembling a constellation, or perhaps a flock of birds seen from afar. Thin shadows cast by a spotlight on the differently angled pins produce an illusion of motion, making the tapered design appear as though it’s surging up and across the wall. In addition to Roark’s, “White Wash” contains another set of small collages consisting of layered shards — fabric
as well as paper, in this case — that seem altogether too busy. Fraying, dangling threads give these half-dozen pieces an unkempt look that’s no doubt deliberate but is still lacking in visual allure. Molly Bosley, the maker of these woodblock-mounted assemblages, achieves a far more pleasing result with her graphite drawings on sheets of Mylar, or polyester film. These figurative but cryptic creations feature crisply drawn houses or persons in the foreground and faded, blurry images behind them. Bosley produces this contrast between sharp and soft focus by covering one drawing on a sheet of Mylar with another. Because the material is semitranslucent, the under-drawing can be seen hazily through the sheet on top. The disjointed visual narratives that result from this layering technique leave a viewer more intrigued than baffled. Two large pieces Bosley produced in this fashion bear a resemblance to Clockwise from upper left: “Dried traditional Chinese landscape paint- Flowers in Graphite” (detail) by Emily Parulis; “Whisper” by Lorraine Reynolds; ing — except that on the top layer “Untitled Mylar 2” by Molly Bosley of one, the artist has drawn a 1950s loosely hung cotton sheets, American suburban family scene. Mom and the kids titled “Whisper.” An adolescent girl sit around a table stands facing out in each of the sidewhile dad leans by-side pieces. In the longer of the two, from his chair to her head is cropped just below her nose, offer a morsel of and her right arm is crooked across her something to an at- waist. The girl’s entire face appears in the shorter of the prints, but its left side tentive aardvark. Lorraine Reyn- is covered by her thick, uncombed hair. olds is another artist Her arms dangle at what would be her in the show whose sides — if Reynolds had sketched the works vary radically girl’s torso. Is she dead? Entranced? Either way, in medium and imthe prints give off the ghostly aura that pact. “How Heavy “White Wash” promises. Is Your Heart?” Traditional skill is combined with teconsists of an old, rusty table scale with heart-shaped balls of twine (white, of chie material — Mylar, again — in Emily course) placed on and around it. View- Parulis’ trio of drawings of dried flowers. ers familiar with Reynolds’ found-object The meticulous, subtle shadings of the assemblages will recognize the vintage plants’ stems and leaves in these largesensibility and may find it engaging for a scale graphite compositions make them look like low reliefs. They appear to promoment or two. But they will find themselves more trude from the milky whiteness that surattentive to Reynolds’ pair of prints on rounds them.
REVIEW
PRINTS, COLLAGES, DRAWINGS, CERAMICS, PHOTOGRAPHS, SCULPTURES AND INSTALLATIONS MAKE UP
THIS DIVERSE DISPLAY OF WORKS BY MOSTLY YOUNG LOCAL ARTISTS.
VISUAL ART IN SEVEN DAYS:
ART LISTINGS AND SPOTLIGHTS ARE WRITTEN BY PAMELA POLSTON. LISTINGS ARE RESTRICTED TO ART SHOWS IN TRULY PUBLIC PLACES; EXCEPTIONS MAY BE MADE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE EDITOR.
Off in a corner of the gallery, alongside Roark’s untitled arrangement of floral pins, a small, circular white object sits atop a pedestal that looks like an inverted golf tee. The bending, twisting form is easy to overlook. But if you pass it by, you’ll have missed a glimpse into the future of sculpture. Matt Flego made “Moebius” with a 3-D printer. It’s one of the first works to emerge from Generator, the maker space that officially opens on March 29 in the annex of Burlington’s Memorial Auditorium. Roark chose wisely in pairing “Moebius” with her own minimalist array. Together, they offer evidence that art doesn’t have to preen to attract an admiring gaze. K EV I N J . K EL L EY
INFO
“White Wash,” a group show in various media at the S.P.A.C.E. Gallery, Burlington. Through March 29. spacegalleryvt.com
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Art ShowS
NEW THIS WEEK burlington
f SEaN DyE: “20 Years of Painting,” works in oil,
pastel acrylic and mixed-media by the local artist. Reception: Friday, March 21, 5-8 p.m. March 21-31. Info, 660-9005. The Gallery at Main Street Landing in Burlington.
stowe/smuggs area
f ToM CullINS: Recent geometric abstractions
by the Burlington architect reflect his yearly trips to Greece with crisp light and intense color. Reception: Saturday, March 22, 6-8:30 p.m. March 22-June 17.
f ‘laNDSCapE TRaDITIoNS’: The new wing of the gallery presents contemporary landscape works by nine regional artists. Gala opening: Saturday, March 22, 6-8:30 p.m. March 22-January 1. f REbECCa KINKEaD: “Local Color,” a collection of new paintings inspired by Vermont’s flora and fauna. Reception: Saturday, March 22, 6-8:30 p.m. with a talk by Rachel Moore, live music and refreshments March 22-June 17. Info, 253-8943. West Branch Gallery & Sculpture Park in Stowe.
middlebury area
f bRETT SIMISoN: “The Pane in Empty Rooms: Frost and Breadloaf in the Green Mountains,” large-format, black-and-white photographs of the Breadloaf Wilderness area by the Vergennes photographer. Reception: Friday, March 21, 5-7 p.m. March 21-May 9. Info, 388-1436. Jackson Gallery, Town Hall Theater, in Middlebury.
rutland area
f lESlIE bERNS aND SHEllEy WaRREN: “Stream,” nature-based video projections and still images, in which figures perform rituals against landscape backdrops, and objects and sound. Reception: Friday, april 4, 5-7 p.m. March 26-April 26. Info, 468-1266. Castleton Downtown Gallery in Rutland. f KEvIN DoNEGaN: “Lock Is Key and Other Conversations,” an eclectic selection of marble sculptures by the Burlington artist. Reception: Saturday, March 22, 5-7 p.m. March 22-May 24. Info, 438-2097. The Carving Studio & Sculpture Center Gallery in West Rutland.
lIFE DRaWING ClaSSES: Classes work with professional models and focus on the long pose. Preregistration advised. Black Horse Fine Art Supply, Burlington, Wednesdays, 6-9 p.m., $15. Info, 860-4962.
burlington
‘alICE’S WoNDERlaND: a MoST CuRIouS aDvENTuRE’: A touring, interactive exhibit for all ages based on the classic Lewis Carroll tale. Through May 11. Info, 864-1848. ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center/Leahy Center for Lake Champlain in Burlington. ‘aNoNyMouS: CoNTEMpoRaRy TIbETaN aRT’: Paintings, sculptures, installation and video by artists living in Tibet or in diaspora. ‘DoRoTHy aND HERb voGEl: oN DRaWING’: A collection of drawings on paper represents the second half of the Vogels’ gift to the museum, and focuses on new attitudes on the medium by artists over the past 40 years. ‘EaT: THE SoCIal lIFE oF FooD’: A student-curated exhibit of objects from the museum collection that explores the different ways people interact with food, from preparation to eating and beyond. Talk: Dartmouth College professor of geography Susanne Freidberg discusses the history of freshness in food, Wednesday, March 19, 6 p.m. Through May 18. Info, 656-0750. Fleming Museum, UVM in Burlington. aNNa ayRES & ColIN WalSH: Oil and acrylic paintings of the natural world by the local artists. Through March 29. Info, 578-2512. Studio 266 in Burlington. aRT’S alIvE opEN pHoToGRapHy ExHIbIT: A group exhibit of local photographers who responded to a call to artists with one to three works. Through March 30. Info, 660-9005. Art’s Alive Gallery in Burlington. CaRlEEN ZIMbalaTTI: “Plane Division/Sustained Mediation,” works that explore the line in paint, print, dye, string, rubber, wood and metal. Through March 31. Info, 859-9222. SEABA Center in Burlington.
f CHé SCHREINER: “Shadow Between Two Worlds,”
13 large-scale paintings inspired by a near-death experience and travels around the world. Reception: Friday, april 4, 5-7 p.m. Through April 30. Info, 863-6713. North End Studios in Burlington.
f CREaTIvE REuSE SHoWCaSE: An exhibit of artworks made from everyday trash by local high school students. Closing awards celebration: Thursday, March 27, 6-7 p.m. Through March 27. Info, 863-6458. Frog Hollow in Burlington. DoSTIE bRoS. SElECTIoNS: Works in the private collection of Alex and Jeremy Dostie in their South End framing shop including Grace Weaver, Brooke Monte, Ric Kasini Kadour, Ben Peberdy and more. Through March 31. Info, 660-9005. Dostie Bros. Frame Shop in Burlington. GlEN NaDEau: Geometric-inspired acrylic paintings on canvas by the Vermont artist. Through March 31.
GRoup SHoW: On the first floor, works by Brian Sylvester, Jane Ann Kantor, Kim Senior, Kristine Slattery, Maria Del Castillo, Philip Hagopian and Vanessa Compton; on the second floor, Holly Hauser, Jacques Burke, Johanne Durocher Yordan, Susan Larkin and Teresa Davis. Curated by SEABA. Through May 31. Info, 859-9222. The Innovation Center of Vermont in Burlington. HoWaRDCENTER aRTS CollECTIvE: Collaborative artworks focused on healing and recovery by clients and employees of the MHSA branch of the center. Through March 21. Info, 355-8797. Flynndog in Burlington. J.b. WooDS: Digitally enhanced photographs that depict Vermont life. Curated by SEABA. Through May 31. Info, 859-9222. RETN in Burlington. JaMES voGlER: Sophisticated abstract paintings by the Vermont artist. Through April 29. Info, 862-1001. Left Bank Home & Garden in Burlington. JEaN luC DuSHIME: “A Sense of Place,” photographs by the Vermont-based Rwandan refugee taken during a recent visit to his native land, and of New Americans in Burlington. Through March 31. Info, hillary@artsriot.com. ArtsRiot in Burlington.
f JEN FRaNCIS: “Topofeelia,” color photographs by the Burlington planner, architectural/urban designer and artist that represent the bond between people and place. Reception: Thursday, March 20, 5-7 p.m.Through April 18. Info, 862-9616. Burlington College. JESSICa REMMEy: Photographs that capture the beauty in ordinary settings. Through May 31. Info, 859-9222. The Pine Street Deli in Burlington. JuNE Ivy: “30 Days Past September,” compositions that find fresh use for vintage ephemera. Through March 29. Info, christyjmitchell@gmail.com. Feldman’s Bagels in Burlington. KaSy pRENDERGaST: Minimal abstract paintings by the local artist. Through May 2. Info, 578-7179. Courtyard Marriott Burlington Harbor. KaTE DoNNElly: “A Period of Confinement,” work created during a residency at Burlington City Arts, in which the 2013 Barbara Smail Award recipient explores the routines of everyday life through performance, sound and video. TR ERICSSoN: “Crackle & Drag,” a portrait of the artist’s mother conveyed through photo-based work, sculptural objects and moving images. Through April 12. Info, 865-7166. BCA Center in Burlington. KaTE GRIDlEy: “Passing Through: Portraits of Emerging Adults,” life-size oil paintings by the Vermont artist. Through April 12. Info, 652-4500. Amy E. Tarrant Gallery, Flynn Center, in Burlington. KaTHERINE luCaS: Abstract paintings in graphite, acrylic, gouache and sheetrock tape on canvas. Through March 31. Info, 324-9403. Maglianero Café in Burlington.
KaTHy HaRT: Vermont scenes in pastel by the local artist. Through March 29. Info, 658-1562. Pompanoosuc Mills in Burlington. KaTIE RuNDE: “Interwoven,” portraiture in painting and drawing that examines the relationships between people, and people and animals. Through March 31. Info, 355-5418. Vintage Inspired in Burlington. MaRCIa HIll & CINDy GRIFFITH: Landscape paintings in pastel and oil by the Vermont artists. Curated by SEABA. Through May 31. Info, 859-9222. VCAM Studio in Burlington. NaTaSHa SKy: Milk paint and acrylic abstractions on cotton canvas in the K-Vay style. Through March 31. Info, 318-2438. Red Square in Burlington. NoRTHERN vERMoNT aRTISTS aSSoCIaTIoN: An annual exhibit by members in a variety of media. Through March 31. Info, 865-7211. Pickering Room, Fletcher Free Library, in Burlington. NyIKo bEGuIN: “Erase Head,” mixed-media works by the Burlington artist that explore themes of obsolescence and permanence through the reconstruction of disappearing media formats. Through April 9. Info, 617-935-5040. Livak Fireplace Lounge and Gallery, UVM Dudley H. Davis Center, in Burlington. ‘TElEpHoNE’: Beginning March 7, one artist will be invited to bring in work and will in turn invite another artist, who will invite another, and so on. The resulting exhibit will be a visual conversation about who is making art in Vermont, who they turn to and how their collective work interacts. Through May 31. Info, 578-2512. The Soda Plant in Burlington. ‘TExTuRED’: Contemporary works in two and three dimensions by Gowri Savoor, Mary Zompetti, Jennifer Koch and Karen Henderson. Through March 22. Info, 865-7166. Vermont Metro Gallery, BCA Center, in Burlington. ‘THE aRT oF THE CENTER FoR CaRTooN STuDIES’: Original artwork and publications by students, graduates and faculty of White River Junction’s cartooning school. Through April 30. Info, 656-2020. Bailey/Howe Library, UVM, in Burlington. TERRI SEvERaNCE: “According to Terri,” mixedmedia paintings by the owner of Terri’s Morning Garden, a Waldorf-inspired preschool. Curated by SEABA. Through May 31. Info, 859-9222. Speeder & Earl’s: Pine Street in Burlington. TERRy EKaSala: “Inside Out,” abstract paintings by the Vermont-based artist. Through March 25. Info, 735-2542. New City Galerie in Burlington. ToNya FERRaRo: “Mis(fit)s: Identity & Adornment,” a site-specific installation presenting jewelry for the body in metal. Through March 21. Info, 656-4200. Living/Learning Center, UVM, in Burlington. ‘WHITE WaSH’: A group of Vermont artists show works that fit the theme: a clean, bright, fresh palette with “a side of the quiet, serene and ghostly.” Through March 29. Info, christyjmitchell@gmail. com. The S.P.A.C.E. Gallery in Burlington. CHITTENDEN COUNTY ART SHOWS
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Immerse yourself in the art and craft of woodworking this summer.
03.19.14-03.26.14
aRT MaRKETING: FRoM pRESS KIT To INTERvIEW: Independent curator, artist and cultural project developer Serena Kovolosky gives a free introductory workshop for artists on how to launch a successful publicity campaign. Compass Music and Arts Center, Brandon, Sunday, March 23, 2-4 p.m. Info, 247-4295.
oNGoING SHoWS
Info, 805-220-8097. Stephen & Burns Salon, Spa and Boutique in Burlington.
SEVENDAYSVt.com
aRT EvENTS
aRT FoR luNCH: BCA educators give a guided, personal tour of current exhibits by TR Ericsson and Kate Donnelly. BCA Center, Burlington, Tuesday, March 25, noon-1 p.m., Info, 865-7166.
SEVEN DAYS
VERMONT
WOODWORKING SCHOOL Call us at 802-849-2013
Summer Immersion Program 2014 Summer Semester: May 27-July 25
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Learn more at: info.burlington.edu/woodworking 3/18/14 9:53 AM
ART 75
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“We had a fabulous time at Champlain. Thank you SO much for making our event go so smoothly. Everyone was wonderful. The facilities are great and the people making it happen were helpful and knowledgeable. The food was great! Thank you. I would choose Champlain for future events in a heartbeat.”
BURLINGTON AREA ART SHOWS
chittenden county
ElizabEth ClEary: Acrylic paintings of beer glasses and mixed-media works. Through April 2. Info, 399-2994. Fiddlehead Brewing Company in Shelburne.
f ‘iCE Storm, DECEmbEr 2013’: An exhibit of photographs by members of the Milton Artists’ Guild documents their ice-laden community, and features a candid bald-eagle image by invited guests Bev and Walt Keating. reception: Thursday, april 3, 5-7 p.m. Through April 30. Info, 893-7860. Milton Municipal Complex.
— Joanna Cummings, Snelling Center for Government
LEARN MORE TODAY
Find out more about Burlington, Vermont and the Champlain College Conference & Event Center.
CALL 866.872.3603 EMAIL eventcenter@champlain.edu VISIT www.champlain.edu/eventcenter
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JaSon DuroChEr: Five paintings from the Vermont artist’s “12 Months” series exploring the forests of the Northern Hemisphere. Through June 30. Info, 324-2772. Comfort Inn & Suites in South Burlington.
the
JuDy tiplaDy: Watercolor paintings by the Vermont artist. Kolvoord Room. Through March 31. Info, 878-6955. Brownell Library in Essex Junction.
CONFERENCE & EVENT CENTER
at CHAMPLAIN COLLEGE
JuliE a. DaviS, Fiona CoopEr FEnwiCk & JanE nEroni: “Landscape Perspectives,” paintings by the Vermont artists. Through April 20. Info, 343-2539. Emile A. Gruppe Gallery in Jericho.
this is my summer
ShanlEy triggS: “View From Within,” watercolors by the Vermont artist. Through June 2. Info, 985-8222. Shelburne Vineyard.
High school students experience college at UVM
‘SupErCool glaSS’: An exhibit that spans two centuries of glassmaking, with items from the museum’s permanent collection and contemporary decorative and sculptural creations by Vermont and national artists. Through June 8. John biSbEE: “New Blooms,” wall and freestanding installations made entirely from foot-long nails. The Maine sculptor is the first-ever contemporary artist to show in the museum’s new, year-round venue. Through May 26. Info, 985-3346. Pizzagalli Center for Art and Education, Shelburne Museum.
barre/montpelier
‘1864: SomE SuFFEr So muCh’: With objects, photographs and ephemera, the exhibit examines
UVM courses give high school students the opportunity to earn college credit on campus or online. Take a course tuition-free under Vermont’s Dual Enrollment program and save 50 percent on additional courses.
SEVEN DAYS
annE CummingS: Carbon-footprint portraits, local food and climate-change eco-art, using 100 percent post-consumer materials. Second Floor Gallery. JEnEanE lunn: “Lights of Home,” oil paintings on canvas by the Vermont artist. Third Floor Gallery Through April 5. Info, 479-7069. ‘thE nitty gritty’: A group exhibit featuring nearly 20 Vermont artists celebrates the industrial buildings, quarries, tools and people that have left an indelible imprint on the region. Through April 5. Info, 479-7069. Studio Place Arts in Barre. ‘art oF bEthany’: Artworks by Will Adams, Kevin MacNeil Brown, Kimberley Greeno, Sarah Munro and Arthur Zorn in a variety of media. Proceeds support the work of the church in the community. Through April 13. $10. Info, arthurzorn@hotmail. com. Bethany Church in Montpelier. ‘intErprEting thE intErStatES’: Compiling photographs from state archives taken between 1958 and 1978, the Landscape Change Program at the University of Vermont produced this exhibit, which aims to illustrate how the creation of the interstate highway system changed Vermont’s culture and countryside. Through April 26. Info, 479-8500. Vermont History Museum in Montpelier. John SnEll: “Taking Time to See,” photographs inspired by the natural world and local environs. Through March 31. Info, 223-3338. Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier. kEn lESliE: “Golden Dome Cycle and Other Works: Arctic and Vermont,” an exhibit of multimedia works on a variety of surfaces and shapes, including the 360-degree panorama showing the view from the
Jen Francis “Topophilia” comes from the Greek words topos, which means “place,” and philia, which means “love of” — the word denotes a powerful attachment Jen Francis spends plenty of time focusing on place, both in a professional capacity and through the lens of her camera. An exhibit of Francis’ photographs, collectively called
2/25/14 1:44 PM MARY ZOMPETTI, PLATES(DETAIL), 2013
6H-UVMcontCourses022614.indd 1
aDDiSon County CarEEr artiStS: A broad variety of artworks, from photography to painting to woodwork and more, illustrate the breadth of artistic talent in this Vermont county. Through March 27. Info, 828-0749. Vermont Statehouse Cafeteria in Montpelier.
between an individual and a physical location. Burlington Parks and Recreation planner
uvm.edu/precollege
03.19.14-03.26.14
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surgeons who treated Civil War soldiers on battlefields and in three Vermont hospitals, and also the history of post-tramautic stress disorder. Through December 31. Info, 485-2183. Sullivan Museum & History Center, Norwich University, in Northfield.
“Topofeelia,” is currently on display at the Gallery at Burlington College. According to a gallery description, the exhibit “explores manifestations of love of place, sometimes unanticipated, in settings containing simultaneously minuscule and monumental encounters
and
considers
reaction, pattern, connection, cycles and becoming.” The show spans 10 years of Francis’ photography and her travels to several continents, and uses an unusual presentation method — images on movable tiles — that the gallery suggests
CONTEMPORARY WORK FOR SALE FROM VERMONT ARTISTS
“minimizes barriers between the viewer and the photo.” A reception, postponed because
76 ART
135 CHURCH STREET FOURTH FLOOR, BCA CENTER BURLINGTON, VERMONT
of last week’s snowstorm, is Thursday, March 20, 5-7 p.m.
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Through April 18. 3/18/14 9:58 AM
Art ShowS
A R TI ST’ S TA L K
Kevin Donegan Kevin Donegan thinks of carving as a collaborative
Richard Tuttle
process between himself and the stone. “Reciprocity is required,” writes the self-taught mason and sculptor on his website. “…As much as I am unlocking potential in stone, the stone is unlocking potential in me.” Donegan, in his late twenties, is a Hinesburg native and says he’s spent much of his life exploring and being inspired by Vermont’s outdoors. Though he cycled through other creative endeavors, including acrylic painting and poetry, Donegan began focusing on stonework in earnest in 2008. His latest exhibit, called “Lock Is Key and Other Conversations,” presents work made during 2012-2103. The varied selection ranges from abstract, spiraling to
more
forms realistic
sculptures of locks and saws. The show opens on Saturday, March 22, with a reception 5-7 p.m., at the Carving Studio and Sculpture Center in
West
Rutland.
Through
May
4.
Pictured:
“Lock
Is
Key.”
Richard Tuttle. Photograph by Christine Nguyen
W EDNESDAY
March 26
6:00pm “Herb Vogel: Master Collector”
Since the mid-1960s, Richard Tuttle has embraced an improvisational approach to artmaking using everyday, often ephemeral, materials to craft intimate and subtle objects that exist in the space between painting, sculpture, poetry, assemblage, and drawing. Tuttle became close friends with the Vogels who built the largest collection of his work.
www.flemingmuseum.org 61 colchester ave., burlington
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top of the Statehouse over a year’s time. Through March 28. Info, 828-0321. Vermont Supreme Court Lobby in Montpelier. Linda Pruitt: “Re-wilding,” shamanic, acrylic paintings by the local artist. Through March 30. Info, 223-0043. Tulsi Tea Room in Montpelier.
regis Cummings: “Places and Faces on a Journey,” paintings and multimedia works by the local artist. Photo ID required for admission. Through March 28. Info, 828-0749. Governor’s Office Gallery in Montpelier.
stowe/smuggs area
anneLein beukenkamP: In “A Body of Work,” the Vermont painter long known for her floral and still-life watercolors explores portraiture and the human form. Through April 30. Info, 253-1818. Green Mountain Fine Art Gallery in Stowe.
f tara thaCker: Abstract porcelain sculptures by the Vermont visiting artist and visual-arts director of the Vermont Studio Center. artist talk: Thursday, march 20, 3 p.m. Through April 5. Info, 635-1469. Julian Scott Memorial Gallery, Johnson State College.
MARCH 29-30
mad river valley/waterbury
bonnie barnes, CaroL bouCher & Lynn newComb: Black-and-white photography of Yellowstone Park, acrylic paintings, and etchings and steel sculpture, respectively. Through April 26. Info, 244-7801. Axel’s Gallery & Frameshop in Waterbury. ‘JuiCe bar’ winter show: The annual rotating members’ show features works by Virginia Beahan and Laura McPhee, Jessica Straus, Kirsten Hoving and Richard E. Smith. Through April 5. Info, 767-9670. BigTown Gallery in Rochester. Lorraine manLey: “Luminous Vermont,” vibrant, colorful paintings that capture the beauty of the artist’s home state. Through March 31. Info, 496-6682. Festival Gallery in Waitsfield. MIDDLEBuRY AREA SHOWS
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AFTER PARTY SATURDAY - 5:00
BREWSTER RIVER PUB & BREWERY
HUGE RAFFLE to benefit Vermont Backcountry Alliance
OVER $20K IN PRIZES
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ART 77
f harLan maCk: “Draughts for Every Passing Game,” mixed-media drawings on tar paper and steel sculptures by the Vermont artist. reception: monday, march 24, 6-8 p.m., with an artist talk
‘Portraits’: Photography, drawing and painting created by young women in the Learning Together Program, a collaboration of River Arts and the Lamoille Family Center. Through April 29. Info, 888-1261. Morrisville Post Office.
SEVEN DAYS
andrea LiLienthaL: An installation consisting of acrylic-painted birch saplings by the Brooklynbased artist. ‘surveiLLanCe soCiety’: With works in a variety of media, artists Hasan Elahi, Adam Harvey, Charles Krafft, David Wallace, and Eva and Franco Mattes explore notions of privacy and safety, security and freedom, public and personal. Through April 20. Info, 253-8358. Helen Day Art Center in Stowe.
‘kiCk and gLide: vermont’s nordiC ski LegaCy’: An exhibit celebrating all aspects of the sport, including classic and skate skiing, Nordic combined, biathlon, ski jumping, telemark, and back-country skiing. Through Oct. 13. Info, 253-9911. Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum in Stowe.
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robin Lahue: “Moonbeams and Dreams,” water-soluble-oil paintings on canvas by the Vermont artist. Through March 30. Info, curator@ capitolgrounds.com. The Green Bean Art Gallery at Capitol Grounds in Montpelier.
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Peter Forbes & nathan burton: Photographic portraits from a 2013 performance by Forbes, and a collection of recent images by dancer/teacher/ photographer Burton. Through March 31. Info, 229-4676. Contemporary Dance & Fitness Studio in Montpelier.
at 7 p.m. f kent shaw: Photographs using long exposure times and depicting architecture, nightscapes and abstractions. Copley Common Space Gallery. reception: monday, march 24, 6-8 p.m. Through April 25. Info, 888-1261. River Arts Center in Morrisville.
3/14/14 11:18 AM
GEAR DEMOS | AVY EDUCATION | HUGE RAFFLE
art shows
art 3168. Johnson Memorial Building, Middlebury College.
that help restore natural systems. Through May 26. Info, 649-2200. Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich.
‘The Place of Dance’: Ten images from faculty member Andrea Olsen’s new book The Place of Dance, created with her colleague Carolyn McHose, feature faculty, alumni and current students. Through May 8. Info, 443-3168. Davis Family Library, Middlebury College.
South Royalton School Student Exhibit: Ceramics, paintings, folded-paper designs, photographs and drawings by 43 students in the South Royalton School Art Program. Through March 31. Info, 763-7094. Royalton Memorial Library in South Royalton.
Stephanie Larsen: Colorful reverse paintings on the glass of old window frames. Through March 31. Info, 453-3188. WalkOver Gallery & Concert Room in Bristol.
Brett Simison
rutland area Fine-art photographer Brett
Simison likes to focus on the details — that’s why he prefers to shoot black-and-white film. His most recent collection, titled “The Pane in Empty Rooms,” is a series of stunningly detailed, starkly lit photos taken in and around Robert Frost’s summer cabin in Ripton. Regular visits to the area during the summer months inspired Simison to think of the poet beyond his his better-known works. “There was a feeling of darkness and loneliness, and I began to see the cabin, the farm grounds, and the surrounding lands of the Breadloaf Wilderness in a new light,” Simison writes in his artist’s statement. His large-scale images will be on view at the Jackson Gallery at Middlebury’s Town Hall Theater through May 9, beginning with a reception this Friday, March 21, 5-7 p.m. Pictured: “White Pines, Ripton, Vermont.”
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mad river valley shows
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middlebury area
‘Circling the Sheldon’: One-of-a-kind objects from the permanent collection, from buttons to peg legs to quilts to a high-wheel bicycle, illustrate the round theme. Through April 19. Info, 388-2117. Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History in Middlebury. Ninth Annual Emerging Artists: An exhibit featuring a variety of artwork by Mt. Abraham Union High School students. Through March 26. Info, 453-4032. Art on Main in Bristol. ‘Observing Vermont Architecture’: Photographs by Curtis Johnson and commentaries by Glenn Andres explore the state’s diverse built environment, and accompany their new book, The Buildings of Vermont. Through March 23. Info, 443-5008. Middlebury College Museum of Art. ‘One Room Schools’: Photographs from the 1980s by Diana Mara Henry illustrate the end of an era in many rural small towns in Vermont. In the Vision & Voice Gallery. Through May 10. Russell Snow: “Imagination in Motion,” wooden whirligigs from the political to the playful by the local craftsman. Through March 31. Info, 388-4964. Vermont Folklife Center in Middlebury.
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Pat Musick: “The Instant of It All,” an exploration of the aging process by the environmental artist, using collage, wall sculpture and large-scale paper pieces. Through April 30. Info, 458-0098. Edgewater Gallery in Middlebury. ‘Scratching the Surface’: Students from Michael Jordan’s class ART 315 show new works that explore traditional and contemporary methods of intaglio printmaking. Through March 19. Info, 443-
2014 Juried Artist Exhibit: Forty-two artists from Vermont and New York exhibit works in a wide variety of media, including painting, photography, wood carving, collage, origami and more. Through April 25. Info, 775-0356. Chaffee Downtown Art Center in Rutland. Brandon Artists Guild Member Show: “Still Life & Sculpture” presents works in multiple media, from contemporary painting, photography, ceramic and fiber art to a fresh twist on a medieval art form. Through April 29. Info, 247-4956. Brandon Artists Guild.
Catherine Hall: “Plaster, Paper, Paint,” a multimedia exhibit intended to challenge the definitions and implications of each material. Through March 22. Info, 468-1266. Castleton Downtown Gallery in Rutland. Len Davis: “A Thousand Words,” 22 8-by-5-inch collages incorporating drawing of faces on the pages of books, as well as debris and other objects. Through April 14. Info, 468-6052. Christine Price Gallery, Castleton State College. Winter Art Mart: Local artists show photography, pottery, jewelry, painting, prints and more, and Divine Arts Recording Group offers CDs of rare recordings, classical music and rediscovered masterpieces. Through March 31. Info, 247-4295. Compass Music and Arts Center in Brandon.
upper valley
‘Art That Celebrates Winter’: A community art exhibit of works in a variety of media featuring the snowy season. Through March 31. Info, 457-2295. Norman Williams Public Library in Woodstock. ‘Earth as Muse: Beauty, Degradation, Hope, Regeneration, Awakening’: Artwork that celebrates the Earth’s beauty while reflecting on tensions between mankind and the environment by Fran Bull, Pat Musick, Harry A. Rich, Jenny Swanson and Richard Weis. Through April 4. Info, 258-3992. The Great Hall in Springfield. “Making Visible”: New works by Valery Woodbury, Michelle Woodbury and Nance Silliman in pastels, oils, watercolors and photography. Through May 3. Info, 674-9616. Nuance Gallery in Windsor. “Sustainable Shelter: Dwelling Within the Forces of Nature”: An exhibition that examines new homebuilding strategies and technologies
Tom Berriman: Bird photography from wildlife and management areas in Vermont. A portion of sales will benefit VINS’ educational, conservation and rehabilitation work. Through March 31. Info, 359-5001. Vermont Institute of Natural Science in Quechee.
brattleboro area
‘Flora: A Celebration of Flowers in Contemporary Art’: Vibrant floral works by 13 regional artists. Through June 22. Jim Giddings: “Out of the Shadows,” paintings by the local artist. Through May 4. Jennifer Stock: “Water Studies, Brattleboro,” a site-specific installation. Through May 4. Info, 254-2771. Brattleboro Museum & Art Center.
northeast kingdom
Gerry Trevits: New oil paintings of the local landscape. Through April 11. Info, 525-3366. The Parker Pie Co. in West Glover. ‘Points of View’: Watercolors, oils and sketches in a variety of styles by members of the Monday Painters: Barbara Grey, Jenny Green, Joan Harlowe, Donna Marshall, Barbara Matsinger and Robin Rothman. Through April 26. Info, 748-0158. Northeast Kingdom Artisans Guild Backroom Gallery in St. Johnsbury.
Call to artists CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS New City Galerie is accepting submissions for its April 4-May 27 show centered around portraits. All media accepted; self-portraits welcome. In particular, we are looking for pieces that explore the extent to which mankind is a “representational animal” (Homo symbolicum). When we communicate, we use symbols, categories and examples to get across what we’re trying to say — we “represent” the world to each other. Submit images of your work to newcitygalerie@ gmail.com. Share larger files using Dropbox or Google Drive. Deadline: Monday, March 24. Selections finalized by Tuesday, March 25. Questions? Email newcitygalerie@gmail. com. 4th Annual Jericho Plein Air Festival The Emile A. Gruppe Gallery seeks artists to participate in this annual outdoors art event on July 19. Work created on that day will be exhibited in the gallery July 20 to August 10. Registration: $20. For info and registration materials, contact Barbara Greene at blgreene@myfairpoint.net or 899-2974. First Annual Juried Art Show Inspired by Vermont Poet Wind Ridge Books,
manchester/bennington
‘Mud Season’ and Solo Shows: A group show inspired by Vermont’s leading artists featuring images of life between seasons, colored by light, shadow, earth, sky and water. Solo exhibitions: Evocative landscapes by Gerard Natale and contemporary still lifes by Barbara Harshman. Through March 23. Info, 362-1405. Southern Vermont Arts Center in Manchester.
outside vermont
Framed Vintage Posters From the Collection of Alfred T. Quirk: Posters from the longtime AVA supporter are available on silent auction to benefit the gallery. Through March 29. Info, 603-448-3117. AVA Gallery and Art Center in Lebanon, N.H. ‘Evolving Perspectives: Highlights From the African Art Collection’: An exhibition of objects that marks the trajectory of the collection’s development and pays tribute to some of the people who shaped it. Through December 20. ‘In Residence: Contemporary Artists at Dartmouth’: This exhibit celebrates the school’s artist-in-residence program, which began in 1931, and presents works by more than 80 international artists who have participated in it since then. Through July 6. Info, 603-646-2808. Hood Museum, Dartmouth College, in Hanover, N.H. LaThoriel Badenhausen: “Wise Blood,” paintings, drawings, sculptures, embroideries and installations created with found objects that have been altered, deconstructed and repurposed. Through March 30. Info, 518-564-2474. Plattsburgh State Art Museum, N.Y. Peter Doig: “No Foreign Lands,” a major survey of contemporary figurative paintings by the Scottish artist. Through May 4. Info, 514-285-2000. Montréal Museum of Fine Arts. m
Burlington City Arts and Sundog Poetry Center are looking for artists to enter an inaugural exhibit of artworks inspired by the poetry of Daniel Lusk. Registration is $25; entrant will receive a copy of Lusk’s recent book Kin. A maximum of three works may be submitted. Deadline: March 21. To register and pay online, visit windridgebooksofvermont.com or contact Lin or Kim at Wind Ridge Books at 985-3091. Art in the Park The Chaffee Art Center seeks artisans to participate in Rutland’s 53rd outdoor festival of arts, crafts and food, August 9 and 10 and October 11 and 12. Booths open on first come, first served basis. Early-bird special: Register by March 31 and receive $25 off fee (prices vary by size of space). For vendor application, contact artinthepark@chaffeeartcenter. org. 6th Annual Art of Creative Aging Exhibit The Central Vermont Council on Aging seeks works by senior artists living in or near Washington, Lamoille and Orange counties for a juried show to be held at the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier for the month of May. Submit digital images of up to three pieces of work to Scott Robbins at srobbins@cvcoa. org. Deadline: March 31. Info, 479-0531.
Art’s Alive FOFA 2014 Juried exhibition! June 2014 in the Art’s Alive Gallery at Main Street Landing’s Union Station! Cash prizes! Vermont artists only! Application deadline: Monday, April 14. artsalivevt.org Au Sable Hall Show Professors in SUNY Plattsburgh’s School of Business and Economics are calling for 2-D and sculptural artwork for an exhibit in the new campus building. Open to students, faculty, staff and others affiliated with the university. Drop off at Room 239 on Wednesday, April 9, or Friday, April 11, 1-5 p.m. Exhibit April 14-17. Info, Ed Lusk at luskej@plattsburgh.edu or James Csipak at james.csipak@ plattsburgh.edu. Fishing for Exotic Birds Seeking 2-D artwork by local artists for a one-day pop-up exhibition to be held in downtown Burlington on March 29. Any theme. Deadline: March 27. Info, 617-935-5040 or facebook.com/ events/199176690292457/ ONE Public Art Project RFP Burlington City Arts and Redstone have issued a Request For Proposals from artists or artist teams for a public-art project in the city’s Old North End — a mixed-use development at 237 North Winooski Avenue. Deadline: April 21. Download details and drawing of development at burlingtoncityarts.org/ Art_In_Public_Places/
John Bisbee: New Blooms
New work by John Bisbee. The Maine sculptor transforms everyday nails into works of art by manipulating individual spikes and welding them for the finished form.
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New Blooms is made possible by a gift from Robert and Elizabeth Nanovic.
Supercool Glass is made possible by a gift from Diana and John Colgate and the Donna and Marvin Schwartz Foundation.
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A new exhibition that highlights aesthetic and technological trends in American glassmaking over two centuries. Objects from Shelburne Museum’s collection are juxtaposed with works by contemporary glass artists.
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Supercool Glass
a d d i t i o n a l s u p p o r t is fr o m:
Tues.–Sun. 10 am–5 pm. 6000 Shelburne Road, Shelburne, VT 79
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movies
SCAN THIS PAGE WITH THE LAYAR APP TO WATCH MOVIE TRAILERS SEE PAGE 9
The Unknown Known ★★★★
T
he Fog of War (2003) ranks with the great political documentaries of all time. Errol Morris earned an Academy Award for his portrait of Robert McNamara, the regret-ridden former Secretary of Defense regarded as the architect of the Vietnam War. The filmmaker’s latest offers a sequel of sorts with its examination of another military mastermind’s imprint on history. This time, though, Morris’ attempts to penetrate the delusions and defenses of Donald Rumsfeld are hindered less by fog than by a succession of smoke screens. Reviewers have suggested that The Unknown Known, which will screen on March 24 and 28 at the Green Mountain Film Festival in Montpelier, isn’t as fine a film as Fog. They note that Morris fails to crack his subject, to make Rumsfeld concede to having second thoughts — in some cases, any thoughts — about the role he played in causing and botching the Iraq War. This critique misses the point. The wholesale absence of honest appraisal, self-awareness or contrition doesn’t reflect the picture’s shortcomings. It reflects Rumsfeld’s. The youngest Secretary of Defense in U.S. history, appointed by Gerald Ford (there’s a Chevy Chase joke in there somewhere) and
again by the elder Bush, Rumsfeld has been around the Beltway block. Morris fills in any gaps in the popular memory regarding how he scaled the pinnacle of power. Rumsfeld’s idea of a ripping yarn is a practically knee-slapping account of the 1975 Sarah Jane Moore assassination attempt, after which he and a Secret Service agent pushed the president into his limo and threw themselves on him. The punch line? “Suddenly I hear a muffled voice: ‘Hey, you guys are heavy.’” Suitably, though, the movie begins and finishes with Iraq. On this topic, Rumsfeld proves as frustrating an interview for the audience as for the director. Raising issue after perfectly reasonable issue, Morris is detectably dumbfounded by the deflections, word games and bald-faced denials of reality his questions elicit. The 81-yearold Rumsfeld’s eyes twinkle. He grins that Cheshire cat grin. And he lies like a rug. You want to reach through the screen and grab him by the throat. Sorry, it’s true. In a typical sequence, Morris suggests the White House wanted the public to believe Saddam Hussein was connected with Al Qaeda and 9/11. Rumsfeld adopts a look of puzzlement. “Oh, I don’t think so,” he replies, “I don’t remember anyone in
DONALD DUCKS Rumsfeld deflects, dodges and deceives his way through 103 minutes of questioning in the latest from legendary documentary SCAN THIS PAGE filmmaker Errol Morris.YOUR
YOUR TEXT TEXT WITH LAYAR HERERumsfeld quips, “The absence HEREof evidence SEE COVER saying anything the PROGRAM Bush administration like that.” Next: a clip of a typical Rumsfeld press conference — equal parts briefing and standup performance — from February 2003. A reporter quotes Hussein’s assurance to the U.S. that “Iraq has no WMD … and no relationship with Al Qaeda.” “And Abraham Lincoln was short,” the Secretary of Defense says with a chuckle. Time after time, Morris backs Rumsfeld into corners. If the legendary director’s latest falls short, it’s in his hesitation to go for the gotcha moment. Who knows why Morris held back? Maybe he felt Rumsfeld’s prevarications and empty rhetoric spoke for themselves. When confronted with the fact that Saddam didn’t have WMDs after all,
is not the evidence of absence” with that maddening grin. The Unknown Known is both artful cinema and an invaluable historical document. When future generations wonder how we made such a mess of things in the Middle East at the dawn of the 21st century, they’ll have only to look on that infuriatingly self-satisfied face and listen to Rumsfeld twisting the truth. It’s not a pretty picture, just an immeasurably important one. RI C K KI S O N AK
REVIEWS
80 MOVIES
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The Wind Rises ★★★★ Need for Speed ★★
S
ome boys want to fly planes. Some boys want to drive 230 mph. And some boys want to soar above the desert in a custom Mustang hauled by a helicopter. Let’s start with the first, least outlandish scenario. The Wind Rises is the latest — and perhaps last — directorial effort from renowned Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki. It’s a semifictionalized biography of aircraft designer Jiro Horikoshi (voiced by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) that follows the structure of a traditional biopic, with two key exceptions. First, young Jiro’s surreal dreams of flight, which mutate in sinister ways as he grows up, are a major part of the narrative. Second, the story is missing its final chapter, in which the real Horikoshi’s most famous creation — the Mitsubishi Zero fighter — would wreak havoc in World War II. A mood of regret permeates The Wind Rises, yet it never directly depicts the wartime horrors that inspire that melancholy. To understand its strange tonal mix, the audience needs to know that the achievement for which its hero strives — a lighter, more efficient bomber — is precisely the cause of his future infamy. Miyazaki is well known as both an airplane enthusiast
and a pacifist, and in Jiro’s story, his two passions collide. The tension works itself out incompletely in Jiro’s dreams, where he converses with Giovanni Battista Caproni, the great Italian aircraft designer who saw his creations turn deadly in the First World War. “Do you prefer a world with pyramids, or without pyramids?” Caproni asks Jiro, suggesting that great design is its own justification. The lives lost in the Great Pyramids’ creation don’t negate their achievement. Viewers may or may not buy this rationalization. But it’s hard to deny that The Wind Rises stands like a pyramid in the world of animation. As always, Miyazaki’s sweeping, hand-drawn vistas make their digital counterparts look shoddy. Whether the film is recreating the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 or depicting a small, tender moment between Jiro and his future wife (Emily Blunt), its beauty almost suffices to distract you from pesky questions about the consequences of Jiro’s driving ambition.
T
obey Marshall (Aaron Paul) has a driving ambition, too, and it involves driving. Lots of driving. Let’s get this straight: Need for Speed is based on Electronic Arts’ video-
DREAM DIVERTED A kid dreams of conquering the skies and ends up designing bombers in Miyazaki’s animated biopic.
game series of the same name, but it’s actually an attempt to cash in on the popularity of the Fast and Furious franchise. All the elements are in place: Our hero is a working-class joe who heads a wisecracking, multiethnic crew of mechanics and street racers. He weathers melodramatic tribulations — a dead friend, a prison stint — to face off against a slimy, privileged villain (Dominic Cooper). And he stars in CGIaided automotive stunts as entertaining as they are absurd. If you seek a realistic racing film, this ain’t it. The film’s first act — the melodrama — drags on too long, and the members of Marshall’s posse aren’t as well differentiated as the Fast and Furious ensemble. Once our hero embarks on a high-speed road trip with racing aficionado Julia (Imogen
Poots), however, the pace quickens. There’s undeniable fun in watching the aforementioned Mustang dodge schoolbuses and soar over highway medians. Never mind that the movie could be subtitled Death Race 2014, given that similar exploits in real life would incur hundreds of innocent casualties. Paul applies his acting chops (well honed on “Breaking Bad”) to the material, but to no real purpose. It’s hard to care about Marshall’s revenge-and-redemption quest when the characters in Need for Speed are far more cartoonish than Miyazaki’s cartoons. The flick makes for a passable high-speed diversion, but expect to forget it as quickly as Marshall zooms into high gear. MARGO T HARRI S O N
movie clips
Summer’s coming! What’s your style?
Tim’s Vermeer
new in theaters DiveRgeNt: In a future society where everyone is supposed to have just one dominant virtue, a teen discovers she possesses more than one personality trait. Shailene woodley stars in the adaptation of Veronica Roth’s best-selling ya novel, directed by neil burger (Limitless). with Theo James, Kate winslet and Miles teller. (139 min, Pg-13. bijou, capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Palace, Roxy, Stowe, welden) gReeN moUNtAiN Film FestivAl: narrative and documentary films from around the world; see preview in “State of the arts.” Runs through March 30 at the Savoy Theater and Pavilion auditorium in Montpelier. gmffestival.org mUppets most WANteD: a nefarious Kermit the frog look-alike gets the fuzzy crew embroiled in a European jewel heist caper in this family adventure from The Muppets director James bobin. with Ricky gervais and tina fey as bad guys, and the voices of Steve whitmire and Eric Jacobson. (112 min, Pg. bijou, capitol, Essex, Majestic, Marquis, Palace, welden)
now playing
12 YeARs A slAveHHHHH chiwetel Ejiofor plays a free man who is kidnapped and sold into slavery in the antebellum South in this drama from director Steve McQueen, based on a real slave narrative. with Michael fassbender and Michael K. williams. (134 min, R)
H = refund, please HH = could’ve been worse, but not a lot HHH = has its moments; so-so HHHH = smarter than the average bear HHHHH = as good as it gets
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gloRiAHHHH Paulina garcía won festival honors for her portrayal of a fiftysomething woman seeking love in the singles scene in this chilean drama from writer-director Sebastián lelio. (110 min, R)
3/4/14 9:47 AM
I share my home.
tHe gReAt BeAUtYHHHHH an aging writer (toni Servillo) takes a sentimental tour of the greatest beauty in his life — Rome — in this Oscar-winning drama from director Paolo (This Must Be the Place) Sorrentino. (142 min, nR) HeRHHHHH In this near-future fable from writer-director Spike Jonze, Joaquin Phoenix plays a lonely man who finds himself falling in love with his computer’s sophisticated operating system, voiced by Scarlett Johansson. with amy adams and Rooney Mara. (126 min, R) tHe lego movieHHHH a lowly lego figure discovers he’s the chosen One who can defeat order-obsessed lord business (will ferrell) in this satirical family-adventure animation from directors Phil lord and christopher Miller. also featuring the voices of chris Pratt, will arnett and Elizabeth banks. (100 min, Pg) mR. peABoDY & sHeRmANHHH The midcentury cartoon characters come to the big screen in this dreamworks family animation about a genius beagle, his adopted son and their not-alwaysresponsible adventures with a time machine. with voice work from ty burrell, Max charles and Stephen colbert. Rob Minkoff (The Forbidden Kingdom) directed. (92 min, Pg) tHe moNUmeNts meNHH george clooney and Matt damon play members of a world war II platoon that rescues art treasures from the nazis in this drama directed and cowritten by clooney. with bill Murray, cate blanchett and John goodman. (118 min, Pg-13)
nOw PlayIng
HOMESHARE Finding you just the right person!
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MOVIES 81
RatIngS aSSIgnEd tO MOVIES nOt REVIEwEd by Rick kisoNAk OR mARgot HARRisoN aRE cOuRtESy Of MEtacRItIc.cOM, whIch aVERagES ScORES gIVEn by thE cOuntRy’S MOSt wIdEly REad MOVIE REVIEwERS.
FRoZeNHHH1/2 In the latest disney animation, inspired by hans christian andersen’s “The Snow Queen,” a girl embarks on a quest to end the eternal winter enfolding her kingdom. with the voices of Kristen bell, Josh gad and Idina Menzel. chris buck and Jennifer lee directed. (108 min, Pg)
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AmeRicAN HUstleHH1/2 In the 1970s, an fbI agent (bradley cooper) enlists two con artists (christian bale and amy adams) to work undercover among Jersey’s high rollers. with Jeremy Renner and Jennifer lawrence. david O. Russell directed. (138 min, R)
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3 DAYs to killHHH director Mcg and cowriter luc besson team up on the action-packed saga of a government agent (Kevin costner) who must bring down a terrorist while trying to save his own life and bond with his teenage daughter. will audiences get Taken again? with amber heard, hailee Steinfeld and connie nielsen. (113 min, Pg-13)
Either way, CCV has you covered.
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veRoNicA mARs: The first theatrical release ever funded by Kickstarter continues the story of a small-town amateur detective (Kristen bell) that unfolded from 2004 to 2007 on the cult tV show of the same name. with Jason dohring and Enrico colantoni. Series creator Rob Thomas directed. (107 min, Pg-13. Majestic, Palace)
300: Rise oF AN empiReHH1/2 300 didn’t end so happily for those 300 Spartans. but the greeks step up to the plate against the invading Persian hordes in this belated sequel from director noam Murro (Smart People), based on frank Miller’s Xerxes. Sullivan Stapleton, lena headey and Eva green star. (102 min, R)
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movies
LOCALtheaters
(*) = new this week in vermont. for up-to-date times visit sevendAysvt.COm/mOvies.
BIG PIctURE tHEAtER 48 Carroll Rd. (off Rte. 100), Waitsfield, 496-8994, bigpicturetheater.info
Movie options not announced by press time. Please consult sevendaysvt.com/movies.
BIJoU cINEPLEX 4 Rte. 100, Morrisville, 8883293, bijou4.com
wednesday 19 — thursday 20 300: Rise of an Empire mr. Peabody & Sherman Need for Speed Son of God friday 21 — thursday 27 *Divergent mr. Peabody & Sherman *muppets most Wanted Need for Speed
cAPItoL SHoWPLAcE 93 State St., Montpelier, 2290343, fgbtheaters.com
friday 21 — thursday 27 12 Years a Slave *Divergent The Lego movie in 3D *muppets most Wanted Need for Speed Need for Speed 3D Non-Stop
21 Essex Way, #300, Essex, 879-6543, essexcinemas.com
wednesday 19 — thursday 20 300: Rise of an Empire 300: Rise of an Empire 3D *Divergent Frozen Sing Along The Lego movie in 3D The Lego movie The monuments men mr. Peabody & Sherman mr. Peabody & Sherman 3D Need for Speed Need for Speed 3D Non-Stop Son of God The Wind Rises (Kazetachinu) friday 21 — thursday 27 300: Rise of an Empire 300: Rise of an Empire 3D *Divergent The Lego movie The monuments men mr. Peabody & Sherman mr. Peabody & Sherman 3D *muppets most Wanted Need for Speed Need for Speed 3D Non-Stop
mr. Peabody & Sherman mr. Peabody & Sherman 3D *muppets most Wanted Need for Speed Need for Speed 3D Non-Stop Son of God The Wolf of Wall Street friday 21 — thursday 27 300: Rise of an Empire 300: Rise of an Empire 3D *Divergent Frozen The Lego movie The monuments men mr. Peabody & Sherman mr. Peabody & Sherman 3D *muppets most Wanted Need for Speed Need for Speed 3D Non-Stop Veronica mars
mARQUIS tHEAtRE Main St., Middlebury, 388-4841
wednesday 19 — thursday 20 300: Rise of an Empire The Lego movie The monuments men mr. Peabody & Sherman friday 21 — thursday 27 *Divergent mr. Peabody & Sherman *muppets most Wanted
mAJEStIc 10 190 Boxwood St. (Maple Tree Place, Taft Corners), Williston, 878-2010, majestic10.com
wednesday 19 — thursday 20 3 Days to Kill 300: Rise of an Empire 300: Rise of an Empire 3D *Divergent Frozen The Lego movie in 3D The Lego movie The monuments men
YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION
222 College St., Burlington, 864-3456, merrilltheatres.net
wednesday 19 — thursday 20 300: Rise of an Empire 300: Rise of an Empire 3D Gloria Her The Lego movie Need for Speed Need for Speed 3D Philomena tim's Vermeer The Wind Rises (Kazetachinu) friday 21 — thursday 27 300: Rise of an Empire *Divergent Her The Lego movie Need for Speed Need for Speed 3D Philomena tim's Vermeer The Wind Rises (Kazetachinu)
PALAcE 9 cINEmAS 10 Fayette Dr., South Burlington, 864-5610, palace9.com
Non-Stop tyler Perry's The Single moms' club
StoWE cINEmA 3 PLEX
friday 21 — thursday 27 12 Years a Slave *Divergent The Lego movie 2-D mr. Peabody and Sherman 2-D & 3-D *muppets most Wanted Need for Speed 2-D & 3-D Non-Stop The Single moms club Veronica mars
PARAmoUNt tWIN cINEmA 241 North Main St., Barre, 4799621, fgbtheaters.com
wednesday 19 — thursday 20 300: Rise of an Empire mr. Peabody & Sherman friday 21 — thursday 27 300: Rise of an Empire 300: Rise of an Empire 3D mr. Peabody & Sherman mr. Peabody & Sherman 3D
Mountain Rd., Stowe, 2534678. stowecinema.com
wednesday 19 — thursday 20 12 Years a Slave 300: Rise of an Empire 3D Non-Stop friday 21 — thursday 27 300: Rise of an Empire *Divergent Non-Stop
WELDEN tHEAtRE 104 No. Main St., St. Albans, 527-7888, weldentheatre.com
wednesday 19 — thursday 20 300: Rise of an Empire mr. Peabody & Sherman Need for Speed friday 21 — thursday 27 *Divergent mr. Peabody & Sherman 3D *muppets most Wanted Need for Speed Need for Speed 3D
tHE SAVoY tHEAtER
wednesday 19 — thursday 20 26 Main St., Montpelier, 22912 Years a Slave 0509, savoytheater.com 300: Rise of an Empire wednesday 19 — thursday 20 300: Rise of an Empire 3D tim's Vermeer American Hustle The Wind Rises (Kazetachinu) *Divergent Frozen friday 21 — thursday 27 The Great Beauty (La Green mountain Film Festival: Grande Bellezza) The Lego movie mr. Peabody & Sherman mr. Peabody & Sherman 3D LooK UP SHoWtImES oN YoUR PHoNE! *muppets most Wanted Community Improvement Go toHealth SEVENDAYSVt.com on any smartphone for free, Need for Speed up-to-the-minute movie showtimes, plus other nearby restaurants, club dates, events and more. Need for Speed 3D
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wednesday 19 — thursday 20 12 Years a Slave *Divergent The Lego movie The monuments men *muppets most Wanted Need for Speed Need for Speed 3D Non-Stop Son of God
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« P.81
NeeD FoR speeDHH The video game comes to the screen in this action flick starring Aaron Paul as an unjustly jailed street racer who tries to get his own back in a cross-country race. With Dominic Cooper and Imogen Poots. Scott Waugh (Act of Valor) directed. (130 min, PG-13)
tHe WiND RisesHHHH Renowned Japanese hand-drawn animator Hayao Miyazaki returns to directing with this fictionalized bio of engineer Jiro Horikoshi, whose passion for flight led him to design the infamous Zero fighter used in World War II. The dubbed version features the voices of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt. (126 min, PG-13)
NoN-stopHHH1/2 How does Liam Neeson kick ass this time? He plays an air marshal trying to foil a high-tech, midair hijacking in this action flick from director Jaume Collet-Sera (Unknown). With Julianne Moore and Michelle Dockery. (106 min, PG-13)
tHe WolF oF WAll stReetHHHH Leonardo DiCaprio plays stock swindler and party animal Jordan Belfort in director Martin Scorsese’s chronicle of his rise and fall, based on Belfort’s memoir. With Matthew McConaughey, Jonah Hill and Jon Favreau. (179 min, R)
NOW PLAYING
pHilomeNAH Stephen Frears directed this fact-based drama about a journalist (Steve Coogan) who helps a woman (Judi Dench) search for the son the Catholic church forced her to give up decades earlier. (98 min, R) RoBocopHHH Joel Kinnaman plays the slain cop who rises again as a robot police officer in futuristic Detroit in this remake of the satirical Paul Verhoeven actioner from director José Padilha (Elite Squad). With Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton and Abbie Cornish. (118 min, PG-13) soN oF GoDHH This inspirational retelling of the life of Jesus Christ (Diogo Morgado) is excerpted from the Mark Burnett-produced History Channel miniseries “The Bible.” Christopher Spencer directed. With Amber Rose Revah and Sebastian Knapp. (138 min, PG-13) tim’s veRmeeRHHHH1/2 Penn and Teller bring us a documentary about a tech billionaire determined to use optical devices to unlock the secrets of a Vermeer painting — by re-creating it. (80 min, PG-13) tYleR peRRY’s tHe siNGle moms clUBH1/2 Moms without mates form a support group to deal with their problems in the latest comedy-drama from prolific Perry, who also appears on screen (but not as Madea). With Nia Long, Amy Smart and Wendi McLendon-Covey. (111 min, PG-13)
new on video AmeRicAN HUstleHH1/2 See description in “Now Playing.” FRoZeNHHH1/2 See description in “Now Playing.” Kill YoUR DARliNGsHHH1/2 Daniel Radcliffe plays Allen Ginsberg in this fact-based film about the poet’s involvement with a murder during his college years. With Ben Foster as William Burroughs, Dane DeHaan and Michael C. Hall. John Krokidas directed. (95 min, R) mANDelA: loNG WAlK to FReeDomHHH Idris Elba plays South Africa’s first democratically elected president in this biopic tracing the late Nelson Mandela’s youth, struggle and rise to power. With Naomie Harris and Terry Pheto. Justin (The Other Boleyn Girl) Chadwick directed. (139 min, PG-13)
The film opens with banjo player Didier (Johan Heldenbergh) and his bluegrass band singing the standard “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” (Characters in this movie speak in Flemish and sing in English.) The next scene, set in a hospital, shows us that Didier’s circle will not be unbroken. He and his wife and bandmate, Elise (Veerle Baetens), are preparing their 7-year-old daughter for chemotherapy…
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irst, a local note: You can see The Broken Circle Breakdown on the big screen in Burlington next Thursday,
Contact tesol@smcvt.edu or 802.654.2684
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presented by the Burlington Film Society, the Vermont International Film Festival and Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center. That’s March 20, 7 p.m., at the Main Street Landing Film House. $5-8, free for VTIFF members.
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Spend four weeks this July learning to teach English as a worldwide language www.smcvt.edu/graduate/tesol
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Is bluegrass the saddest music in the world? This Oscar-nominated love story from Belgium might make you think so.
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sAviNG mR. BANKsHHH Emma Thompson plays Mary Poppins author P.L. Travers in this comedydrama about her conflict with Walt Disney over the book’s movie adaptation. With Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell and Paul Giamatti. John Lee Hancock directed. (125 min, PG-13)
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NEWS QUIRKs by roland sweet Science Schmience
Christian minister Ken Ham’s goal of building a replica of Noah’s Ark in the Kentucky hills stalled for lack of money until Ham (no relation to Noah’s son) engaged in a debate on evolution with PBS “Science Guy” Bill Nye. Ham’s Answers in Genesis ministry and the Creation Museum received widespread media attention during the debate, which pitted science against the Bible’s explanation of the origins of the universe. Ham said that a flood of donations would allow construction of the Ark Encounter to begin in May and open to the public in summer 2016. (Associated Press)
Commercialized Airspace
A car dealership in Houston, Texas, hired a drone to film its latest commercial. “It’s a good technique for getting shots that you normally wouldn’t be able to get for advertising purposes, because you get a different perspective,” Don Ruguleiski, internetdigital marketing director for Mac Haik Chevrolet, said. “It’s tough to get a boom out here with a camera on it.” The lightweight unmanned aerial vehicle with six propellers is operated by JAM Aviation. “You know, people used to be scared of it,” owner Don Hirsch explained. “Now they’re saying, ‘Hey, that looks like a UFO. Hey, that looks like a really cool piece of equipment.’” (Houston’s KHOU-TV) After a federal judge ruled that the Federal Aviation Administration has
B y H ARRY BL I SS
Some adult-film production companies turned to computer-generated imagery
to digitize the flesh over the condoms.
Skulduggery
Authorities accused David Charles, 21, of breaking into the Indiana Medical History Museum numerous times last year and stealing human brain tissue, then selling it on eBay. A San Diego man who bought six jars of the brain tissue for $600, plus $70 shipping, called the museum after noticing labels on the containers. After Indianapolis police investigators set up a sting to nab Charles, the museum’s executive
director, Mary Ellen Hennessey Nottage, said the stolen material had been returned and that she had spoken to the San Diego man. “He just said he liked to collect odd things,” she explained. (Indianapolis Star)
Virtual Solution
After Los Angeles County passed a law requiring porn actors to use condoms, adult-film production companies fled to Las Vegas, Miami and other less restrictive locations. Some remaining companies responded by turning to technology, specifically computergenerated imagery (CGI), to digitize the flesh over the condoms. Gay porn company Falcon Studios released the first digitally enhanced film, “California Dreamin’ 1.” “I wanted to give the impression of a pre-condom movie,” director Tony DiMarco said, “but use condoms as we do in every scene we film.” (Slate)
First Things First
Nyima Dorjee, 39, was sitting in a New York City jury pool for a gunpossession trial when he complained to the questioning prosecutor of chest pains and difficulty breathing, but when a court officer informed Justice Joel Blumenfeld, the judge told him to let the prosecutor finish his questioning. “There’s a few more minutes left,” the judge reportedly said. “They can wait.” The officer decided that Dorjee needed immediate assistance, however, and called an ambulance. Doctors determined he
ted rall
was having a heart attack. (United Press International)
Hidey-Hole
Sheriff’s deputies responding to reports of a shooting in Jefferson Parish, La., found Akili Bailey, 20, with gunshot wounds to his buttock, leg and foot. When paramedics tried to help Bailey, he refused to get up and appeared to be “clenching his buttocks together,” according to the police report. Authorities attributed his behavior to his injury, but a doctor who treated Bailey at the hospital retrieved a small bag containing 2.5 grams of cocaine from his buttocks. (New Orleans’s Times-Picayune)
Everything You Know Is Wrong
A textbook used by more than 50,000 students in India’s Gujarat state contains more than 120 factual, spelling and grammatical mistakes, including that “Japan dropped a nuclear bomb on the U.S. during World War II.” The Gujarat government hasn’t withdrawn the books but did “set up a two-member committee to look into these errors and make changes immediately,” according to State Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama. (BBC News)
SEVENDAYSvt.com 03.19.14-03.26.14 SEVEN DAYS
BLISS
no jurisdiction over small drones, a Michigan florist resumed using unmanned aerial vehicles to deliver flowers. The FAA ordered Wesley Berry Flowers in Commerce Township to stop testing drone delivery, but federal administrative law judge Patrick Geraghty declared that according to the FAA’s argument for regulating drones, “a flight in the air of a paper airplane or a toy balsa wood glider could subject the operator” to FAA penalties. “The next step for us,” Berry said, “is more testing.” (Detroit’s WWJ-TV)
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SEVEN DAYS 03.19.14-03.26.14 SEVENDAYSvt.com
REAL fRee will astRology by rob brezsny maRch 20-26
kind of gratitude in the coming days, taurus. Please understand that I don’t think you will be experiencing a lot of disillusionment, frailty, nothingness and silence. not at all. What I do suspect is that you will be able to see, more clearly than ever before, how you have been helped and blessed by those states in the past. you will understand how creatively they motivated you to build strength, resourcefulness, willpower and inner beauty.
Pisces
(feb. 19-March 20)
gemiNi (May 21-June 20): I bet your support system will soon be abuzz with fizzy mojo and good mischief. your web of contacts is about to get deeper and feistier and prettier. Pounce, Gemini, pounce! summon extra clarity and zest as you communicate your vision of what you want. Drum up alluring tricks to attract new allies and inspire your existing allies to assist you better. If all goes as I expect it to, business and pleasure will synergize better than they have in a long time. you will boost your ambitions by socializing, and you will sweeten your social life by plying your ambitions.
Before she died, Piscean actress Elizabeth Taylor enjoyed more than 79 years of life on this gorgeous, maddening planet. But one aptitude she never acquired in all that time was the ability to cook a hard-boiled egg. Is there a pocket of ignorance in your own repertoire that rivals this lapse, Pisces? Are there any fundamental life skills that you probably should have learned by now? If so, now would be a good time to get to work on mastering them.
(July 23-Aug. 22): The Google ngram Viewer is a tool that scans millions of books to map how frequently a particular word is used over the course of time. for instance, it reveals that “impossible” appears only half as often in books published in the 21st century as it did in books from the year 1900. What does this mean? That fantastic and hard-toachieve prospects are less impossible than
(Aug. 23-sept. 22): The tibetan mastiff is a large canine species with long golden hair. If you had never seen a lion and were told that this dog was a lion, you might be fooled. And that’s exactly what a zoo in Luohe, China did. It tried to pass off a hearty specimen of a tibetan mastiff as an African lion. Alas, a few clever zoo-goers saw through the charade when the beast started barking. now I’ll ask you, Virgo: Is there anything comparable going on in your environment? Are you being asked to believe that a big dog is actually a lion, or the metaphorical equivalent?
liBRa (sept. 23-oct. 22): In t. s. eliot’s poem
“The Love song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” the narrator seems tormented about the power of his longing. “Do I dare to eat a peach?” he asks. I wonder what he’s thinking. Is the peach too sweet, too juicy, too pleasurable for him to handle? Is he in danger of losing his self-control and dignity if he succumbs to the temptation? What’s behind his hesitation? In any case, Libra, don’t be like Prufrock in the coming weeks. Get your finicky doubts out of the way as you indulge your lust for life with extra vigor and vivacity. Hear what I’m saying? refrain from agonizing about whether or not you should eat the peach. Just go ahead and eat it.
scoRPio (oct. 23-nov. 21): born under the
sign of scorpio, neil young has been making music professionally for over 45 years. He has recorded 35 albums and is in the rock and roll Hall of fame. In early 1969, three of his most famous songs popped out of his fertile imagination on the same day. He was sick with the flu and running a 103-degree fever when he wrote “Cowgirl in the sand,” “Cinnamon Girl” and “Down by the river.” I suspect you may soon experience a milder version of this mythic event, scorpio. At a time when you’re not feeling your best, you could create a thing of beauty that will last a long time, or initiate a breakthrough that will send ripples far into the future.
(nov. 22-Dec. 21): There should be nothing generic or normal or routine about this week, sagittarius. If you drink beer, for example, you shouldn’t stick to your usual brew. you should track down and drink the hell out of exotic beers with brand names like tactical nuclear Penguin and ninja Vs. unicorn and Doctor Morton’s Clown Poison. And if you’re a lipstick user, you shouldn’t be content to use your old standard, but should instead opt for kinky types like sapphire Glitter bomb, Alien Moon Goddess and Cackling black Witch. As for love, it wouldn’t make sense to seek out romantic adventures you’ve had a thousand times before. you need and deserve something like wild sacred eternal ecstasy or screaming sweaty flagrant bliss or blasphemously reverent waggling rapture.
caPRicoRN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Actor Gary
oldman was born and raised in London. In the course of his long career he has portrayed a wide range of characters who speak english with American, German and russian accents. He has also lived in Los Angeles for years. When he signed on to play a british intelligent agent in the 2011 film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, he realized that over the years he had lost some of his native british accent. He had to take voice lessons to restore his original pronunciations. I suspect you have a metaphorically comparable project ahead of you, Capricorn. It may be time to get back to where you once belonged.
aQUaRiUs
(Jan. 20-feb. 18): every now and then, you’re blessed with a small miracle that inspires you to see everyday things with new vision. Common objects and prosaic experiences get stripped of their habitual expectations, allowing them to become almost as enchanting to you as they were before numb familiarity set in. The beloved people you take for granted suddenly remind you of why you came to love them in the first place. boring acquaintances may reveal sides of themselves that are quite entertaining. so are you ready and eager for just such an outbreak of curiosity and a surge of fun surprises? If you are, they will come. If you’re not, they won’t.
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taURUs (April 20-May 20): “Thank you, disillusionment,” says Alanis Morissette in her song “Thank u.” “Thank you, frailty,” she continues. “Thank you, nothingness. Thank you, silence.” I’d love to hear you express that
leo
ViRgo
sagittaRiUs
SEVENDAYSVt.com
aRies (March 21-April 19): “When you plant seeds in the garden, you don’t dig them up every day to see if they have sprouted yet,” says buddhist nun Thubten Chodron. “you simply water them and clear away the weeds; you know that the seeds will grow in time.” That’s sound advice for you, Aries. you are almost ready to plant the metaphorical seeds that you will be cultivating in the coming months. Having faith should be a key element in your plans for them. you’ve got to find a way to shut down any tendencies you might have to be an impatient control freak. your job is simply to give your seeds a good start and provide them with the persistent follow-up care they will need.
caNceR (June 21-July 22): During her 98 years on the planet, barbara Cartland wrote 723 romance novels that together sold a billion copies. What was the secret of her success? born under the sign of Cancer the Crab, she knew how productive she could be if she was comfortable. Many of her work sessions took place while she reclined on her favorite couch covered with a white fur rug, her feet warmed with a hot water bottle. As her two dogs kept her company, she dictated her stories to her secretary. I hope her formula for success inspires you to expand and refine your own personal formula — and then apply it with zeal during the next eight weeks. What is the exact nature of the comforts that will best nourish your creativity?
they used to be? I don’t know, but I can say this with confidence: If you begin fantastic and hard-to-achieve prospects sometime soon, they will be far less impossible than they used to be.
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Women seeking Women
Introspective, Curious about everything So this is my philosophy: Life is too short to stuff mushrooms. If you get that, I like you already. sublime12, 66
Passionate, Creative, Honest I’m a musician with a knack for animated storytelling, working in food systems education. Although I went to college in the area, I’m essentially new to Burlington. Looking for people to have fun with: hiking, biking, gardening, cooking, volunteering, catching a music show ... anything outdoors and/or low key. Quiet, cute, blond, petite. QueenRhymesies, 22, l Whimsical artist seeking same I’m a poet and yoga lover. When I picture my partner, I see someone who fills me with calm and wonder, who can engage in flights of fancy but who also knows when it’s time to rain ourselves in, for I value groundedness and flight in equal measure. Let’s create together: I’ll write the lyrics, and you can write the music. vocativecomma, 28, l
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Connections Vermont and my family are my roots but I love to discover new landscapes, people, food and adventures. I’m most alive when I’m active and/or playing. Music moves me too. My work energizes me and allows me to see the world. I’m not exactly sure what I’m looking for other than great conversation, laughter and connections. fresca, 35 Crafty Woman I’m a fun woman who loves to be crafty. I make things out of duct tape, and I love looking for something to keep me busy. I work two jobs in retail, and I’m looking for someone who will want to be with me to hang out or to date. I love anything fantasy, TV shows, movies and books. ImTheAlpha802, 21, l
Women seeking Men
Creative, Crafty, Friendly I consider myself to be a very friendly individual. I get along well with those around me and am hoping to meet someone who shares that same trait. I am 28 and work at a dermatology office, however I am currently taking online classes in web design. I’m into arts and crafts and photography. Jules86, 27, l Energetic, intelligent, smartass, sexy Friends, dating, something serious, I’m open to to it all. I like new restaurants, shows, events, hiking, swimming, almost anything really. I’m opinionated but open-minded, smart but always eager to learn, pleasant but don’t tolerate any bs. Curvy (not THAT curvy), 5’6”, dark hair and eyes, and dress well. sumthncute, 34, l
Happy, active and feisty I moved to Vermont in August from sunny Florida. My children are grownupish. I have always wanted to live in this beautiful state. It doesn’t take long to think 32º and sunny is a beautiful day. If someone asks me what I am looking for in a man, the first thing I say is smart. laughwalktravel, 56, l honest, attractive, looking for something new I am looking for friendship/dating. I am honest, and am told I have a hot body. I would like to meet people who are understanding, honest and are willing to accept I have a demanding schedule so my free time is limited. I also do not have a vehicle so they would need to travel or live close by. whitekitty, 46 just. be. yourself. but. honest. I am here in Vermont for the next month, traveling for my job:). I love it, but it’s hard to meet people my own age. I am easygoing and spontaneous, love to try new things, be active and be outdoors, but also just talking and getting to know people through interesting conversation! Whether it be as a friend or more. meyers2, 30, l Looking for my shining knight I’m white, heavy-set and have a bachelor’s degree. I like to travel seeing nature and the past sites. I like to garden, hike, be in the water, stargaze and watch MLS. I’m looking for a gentleman that we can laugh and try new things together. I expect him to take trips with me and be there for each other. Stargazer04, 28, l
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Mother Nature’s child I am pretty independent but miss the company of a man. I love everything about the outdoors, early morning sounds, hiking and biking, exploring the woods and shorelines, the night sky and campfires. I like music in the park. I don’t sweat the small stuff and most of it is small stuff. Getting to know someone is half the fun. Lanie, 59, l Let’s go on an adventure! I’m always up for checking out a new place, book, band or anything. If you can show me something new, you’re someone I want to meet! Extra bonus points if you have beer or local music suggestions. It also would be nice to meet people who read some of the same things I do (science fiction and fantasy right now). sdSeaTurtle, 23 live to the fullest Enjoy good company for a great action-packed movie. Have someone’s strong hand to squeeze when the tension gets high, who can make a great bowl of stove-cooked buttery popcorn. shaythom, 58 Professional yet crazy and silly Seriously tall woman, professional life, but love to laugh, be a little crazy and let her hair down. Education: yes. Occupation: medical/dental. Looks: tall, in shape, athletic. Kids: three grown, successful kids. Dog: yes, 1 awesome black lab. Home: own my own. Looking for: friends first, relationship if it’s meant to be. teeth32, 49 looking for fun guy If you want to laugh, be respected, enjoy good times, travel a bit, and simply have a good friend: I am seeking someone respectful, stable. Someone who has a curiosity about the world and a joyful passion for life. I’m honest, don’t hold grudges and enjoy times outdoors as much I do the comfort of my haven. I’m keen on animals, children, music, camping, movies, dinners. babycakes, 53
Men seeking Women
Creative, active optimist I don’t drink or smoke so as you can imagine bars and parties are not a big draw for me, but I do like meeting new people. I’m a very positive person and don’t take myself too seriously. I would like to meet someone that likes to get outside and joke around. covell, 24, l Curious about Life This single dad just started a new career in education and so far I’m lovin’ it. In the past I’ve been an art student, a starving artist/musician, cook, painter, carpenter and an investigator of eclectic topics. I am still all of those things to some degree. Now I’d like to meet someone with similar interests for some casual dating. whatdoidohere, 41, l
Do it at least once... I like to create, discover, converse, share and play my way through life. I have a lot of hobbies that I keep myself occupied with, but all of them are enjoyed with great company. I figured this would be a good way to meet more people who love to do the same things as myself. I don’t have trouble meeting people, but it’s also one of my favorite things to occupy my life with. Let’s do something fun. Mastifflovinman, 29, men seeking women. I would describe my fashion sense as... Mood permitting, from suits and ties to sweatpants, I wear it all. looking for real, honest, secure Looking for a partner in crime to commit no crimes, but to seek fun, laugh loud and be real. Much better in person, easy to be around. Life is too short to be unhappy. adkinVT, 43
all-night insomniac Late-night guy seeking female company. 25 ... and lonely. That’s all I’ll say. If you’re worth it, I’ll give you my number. Then we can talk all about it. smokestoomuch, 25, l
Active, curious, sensual seeks same Divorced (five yrs.) empty nester seeking special connection. I enjoy a balance between physical and intellectual pursuits. Honest, loyal, trustworthy and affectionate. Let’s share a meal, ski or walk. You? Sense of wonder, gratitude. Sense of humor, comfort with yourself, are attractive. An interest in exploration, adventure — especially outdoors — would be great. The rest is chemistry and effort. iluvoutdoors, 56, l
tired of games My daughter is the center of my universe but has grown and is moving on, leaving a big void. Looking for a woman who is honest, loyal and looking to build a relationship. Age and looks nowhere near as important as sincerity. I love camping, fishing, cooking and cuddling. bigrick64, 49
john’s a lookin I am a young 63 looking for a younger lady to stay active with. Like to be outdoors when nice. Like to cuddle in the evenings, well during the day, too (LOL). I am tired of doing things alone. Have my own home I would like to share with that someone special. johnsalookin, 63 SKI DEEP POWDER Humor is awesome! No small talk is preferred. If you came to hang out, you won’t be bored. Beers are a must! Make sure the whiskey is aged, from your cellar with dust! russiaman3, 23, l Grounded Man Seeks Grounded Woman Separated father of one knows exactly who he is at this point in his life — smart, funny, affectionate, compassionate, considerate, freespirited and honest — and seeks a woman who feels the same about herself for company, conversation and seeing where things go from there. True_North, 44, l
Looking for partner In Crime I’ve never done anything like this before. It seems like I keep meeting the same people when I’m out or when my friends try to set a blind date. I’m a down-toearth guy who works hard. Looking for a chill girl who likes to have fun and isn’t afraid to try new things. JCPVT, 28 GOOD TIMES Down-to-earth, fun-loving guy looking to share in some responsible shenanigans. Love to stay in or go out as long as fun is on the menu. I’ll take a double, please. showpony36, 36 lonely and 59 I guess I’m just an average guy, good sense of humor, not bad in the kitchen, TV and Xbox in the (and of course other things) living room. Outdoors, fishing, campfires, stargazing (and other things). LOL. Please feel free to ask about anything you would like to know. antares321, 59, l Every Girl’s Dream Guy! Fat, ugly, old and stupid. Cheap, boring and selfish with one interest. Seeks wealthy, immoral, non-Christian looker with low self-esteem for 30 seconds of bliss with no foreplay. 4:20 sense of humor essential. nimrod, 60
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Women seeking?
KuriousKat I’m an attractive young woman who has always been a “good girl.” Now I’m curious in being naughtier. I’m a bit shy but intrigued as to what I may find. Since I’m new to all of this I need someone who can take charge but also take time to guide me patiently. Katt, 31 Looking for playmate Married polyamorous butch looking for a playmate to spend some quality time with. Love to cuddle and have make-out sessions. If it leads to more it would be nice. Starting out as non-sexual dating is definitely in the cards. Sexyfun, 22, l kinky curious I’m looking for a FWB who’s as interested in pleasuring myself as I am in pleasuring them! I’m in a relationship, so looking for NSA hookup without regrets, all fun, clean and cleanliness a must for you too! Message for an amazing adventure ;-). friskybiz, 22, l Clean, Fit, Curious, Adventure Seeker Hey there pretty girl, I’m just curious about having an amazing, sexy time with a laid-back, clean, cute and fit girl (or couple) like myself. Just a one-time thing or FWB if we really rock each other’s worlds. 420-fueled outdoor adventures, followed by eating a smooth, clean, pretty pussy is my ultimate dream! Twenties, grad school education, petite, fun! dwntwnskigrl, 26, l
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Good-looking shy guy Good-looking, in mid-30’s, looking for some help in the bedroom as I don’t have a lot of experience. ShyGuy78, 35 Oral, anal, cum lover Looking for new experiences. Laid-back but ready to learn new things. BillRoberts, 63 Six-pack and orgasm I’m in college and love the gym. I’m always horny and looking for someone to help me out with that. I just want casual hookups; we can meet anywhere. I’m all about pleasuring you first. Let me know. Gymguy12, 20, l New Guy Looking To Learn I’ve been playing with some anal toys alone at home for a while now, and I’m ready to play with someone else. Would you like to show me the ropes? My dream is a woman with a strap-on, but I’m ready for anything. Jerry1296, 27 Swirlmaster Fifty, fit and fun! I’m very oral and also gifted in other ways: large hands, large...! I’m seeking fun and fit 35-50 yo women for NSA friends with benefits. A woman who is comfortable showing her freaky side (I don’t judge). Simply put, if you’re up for some great sex with a fast-learning, easygoing guy, let’s hook up! luckiestguy4104, 52, l Sexy sexy I like to nibble, kiss and massage all night. Nicenslo, 43, l I want to play I am looking for a playmate. Kids are grown and gone, and now it’s my turn to play. Age and looks not as important as attitude and personality. Always interested in learning a few new games to play. Got any? bigrick1964, 49
Couple Ready For Anything A fun couple with very few limits looking for hot and erotic experiences with the right woman or couple! FunVTCpl2014, 28 boyfriend wants two girls Want to do something for my boyfriend; he wants to see the two-girl thing, so I thought why not? JSVT, 31 Trying Something New My boyfriend and I are in a loving, committed relationship but we are looking to expand my sexual experiences. We both agree that all the attention should be on me so you have to be willing to do that. We are looking for a woman who will play with me while he watches and possibly joins. curiousfun, 20, l Doctor will see you now Outgoing, fun-loving couple seeking a female playmate to provide her with some girl fun. We enjoy role-playing, light BDSM, getting rough from time to time. She likes slim, pretty girls to explore her body. He likes to watch, and occasionally get in on the action. We’re both in great shape, exercise regularly and have LOTS of imagination ;-). freshadventure, 28, l Happy, well-adjusted couple We’re both kind, compassionate, fun and intelligent professionals in our mid-30s. Our sexual relationship is very open, and we’d like to bring another woman into bed with us for casual fun. Mostly she would satisfy and be satisfied by her, but intimacy with him as well is cool if desired. We believe there’s always more love to go around! openandkind, 37 Sexy TS I am a sexy, fit and fun TS looking for a fun couple to play with. I am very oral, love to have her do me with a strap-on while I have him in my mouth. thisgirlsforu, 40, l Sensuous, slow, hot and wet! We are a committed couple in search of some sexy fun! We seek a sensual woman for me to play with — my man loves to watch me make love to a woman. We would also consider a couple. I’m bi, my man is straight. I’m a smokin’ hot 40-year-old, very fit and sexy. I seek a pretty lady tease. Grizzly, 40, l
I’m at a bit of a loss. I’m a healthy, attractive woman in my mid-thirties, but I have a total fetish for younger, inexperienced guys in their early twenties. Taking a guy’s virginity is the biggest turn-on I can imagine. But I have no idea how to go about finding younger, inexperienced men, since they’re usually shy, quiet, unassuming types who aren’t out seeking attention. Where can a girl go to find a sweet young thing who needs a little confidence builder?
Sincerely,
Dear Older,
Older Seeking Younger
Younger and less experienced, you say? Hmm … Here’s a question: Are you looking for a boyfriend or a boy toy? The distinction is important. I’m all for being with someone younger, but finding a partner to share a happy and healthy relationship is challenging enough without a big age gap. Think about where you were in your early twenties and compare it to who you are now. Compatibility with someone in a very different stage of life than you is a lot harder to achieve. But if you’re just looking for some fun, here are a few ideas. First, do you have any younger single gal pals with whom you could tag along on their nights out? If not, it’s time to make some. If you befriend some younger, single women who like to go out, chances are you’ll run into some younger men. You may have to dig around for the inexperienced ones, but I’m sure they’re out there and would no doubt be eager to attain some of the sexual savvy you’re excited to share. This comes with a warning, however. You may find yourself at a house party with some of these new friends and meet all sorts of available young guys, but be mindful of their even younger friends. They could be too young. I’m talking about the sneaking-out-of-myparents’-house-and-going-to-my-older-brother’s-collegeparty-on-a-school-night kind of young. In other words: still in high school. You know what I’m saying? Not that you should go around asking for IDs, but be careful. Sex with a minor is not only illegal; it’s not cool. Here’s another idea: If you’re seeking a purely sexual rendezvous, why not take out a personal ad and specify exactly what you want? It can be liberating to put yourself out there in a direct yet anonymous way. Who knows? Some shy, insecure guys might be looking for someone just like you to show them the ropes. And news flash: Not all of them are necessarily young. Regardless of age or experience, invite your next partner into your fantasy you so can both enjoy it. If he’s up for it, entice him to play the part of virginal pupil and see if you don’t enjoy the same benefits you have with a young, innocent guy. If he’s really into it, you can play the role of sexy teacher as often as you please!
Need advice?
Yours,
Athena
You can send your own question to her at askathena@sevendaysvt.com
personals 89
Loving Couple seeks sexy lady We’re in a loving, committed relationship, together over 25 years. We’re very much into pleasure and exploring our sexuality. She was in a f-f relationship years ago so this is nothing new, but it’s been a while. We’re looking for an intelligent woman (we need to like you) who is looking to explore her sexuality with a loving, committed couple. coupleinlove, 48
Dear Athena,
SEVEN DAYS
Seeking Submissive or Semi Sub What I mean by semi sub is that perhaps you are new to this or just wanting to test the waters, or maybe you do Someone to play with have experience but you don’t consider Looking for discreet fun! Open to most yourself to be nor do you want to be a 1x1c-mediaimpact050813.indd 1 5/3/13 anything and very fun. sopretty, 39, l4:40 PM hardcore sub. I’m not into a one-night stand, want something ongoing so that NSA Adventure seeker we can build on it. jjacksonzip, 55 Looking for casual/NSA fun where looks, fitness and an interesting Young, Fit and Ready mind are everything :-). Burlington 26-year-old fit male looking to and areas south. LC1, 45, l experiment and explore my wild side. Willing to try or discuss mostly Sticky, Wet Panties for Sale anything that isn’t mean-spirited or I’m 18, brunette, beautiful and broke degrading. CubKinkster87, 26, l as can be. Looking to make some extra pocket money. $30 a pair. this is jepordy Message me for deets ;). Happy to Hi there! I am in a relationship (not provide verification. Alleycat, 19, l married) and getting it once a month. Can no longer stand it! Looking for females 21-45 for discreet meetings on a semi-regular basis. I’m extremely sexual, well-endowed and know my way around a woman’s body. Up for almost anything, so what the hell? vtguy2776, 38 18+
Young Couple Seeking a Third We are a clean, young, attractive couple (man and woman) looking for a slender, petite, athletic, attractive woman to join us for a NSA, one-night only threesome. LuckyNumber3, 28
03.19.14-03.26.14
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Choose Your Own Adventure I am a man who is looking for sexual adventure. I am looking for women to have casual sex with, regularly or for one-nighters. You won’t be disappointed. luckyinlove84, 38, l
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Bored? I just got out of a long-term uneventful relationship. I am very ready to have some fun, and even discover some new sources of fun! I love to laugh and have a good time. I am well-educated but currently unemployed. Therefore my schedule is very flexible. Please be clean and discreet as I am! LaLaLoooo, 37, l
Men seeking?
Your wise counselor in love, lust and life
Colchester Shaw’s Taylor Whenever I see you there I smile within. The manner in which you work shows the heart within. You fill up my senses and have me wishing. Shopping is a need but seeing you is a blessing. I pray all the best for you. One day I hope to have the time to say more than hello. When: Saturday, March 15, 2014. Where: Colchester Shaw’s. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912062 Happy Birthday Pepper Sprout! Baby at last you’ve been spied. Sorry your patience was tried. I’m so grateful we’re allied, with you my love will abide. You’re a lovely woman. I’m a lucky man When: Tuesday, February 18, 2014. Where: N.N.E. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912061 Top of the Block I see you each time I go get lunch. Your curly brown hair, whether down or up in a knot, and your bright eyes always put on a smile on my face. Even though I am in a long-term relationship that my heart is not in anymore, seeing you on occasion makes my heart beat again. When: Wednesday, March 12, 2014. Where: Top of the Block Sandwhich Shoppe. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912060 Burning Down the House I saw you at Start Making Sense at Higher Ground. But I first saw you at the YMCA in Burlington bench-pressing with just the bar (no weight) the night before and swooned. You have blond hair and a beard. I have blond hair and was wearing a black sequin dress. Let’s listen to David Byrne together. When: Thursday, March 13, 2014. Where: Higher Ground & YMCA. You: Man. Me: Woman. #912059 Trailhead Goodbye It was a good hike. The adventure well worth it, and I’ll miss hitting the trails with you. I hope your next adventure brings you joy. I’m sorry I wasn’t the right hiking companion. I’ll always love you and be one of your biggest fans. When: Thursday, January 23, 2014. Where: Montpelier, Burlington and the Green Mountains. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #912058
90 personals
SEVEN DAYS
03.19.14-03.26.14
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Tiny Thai Winooski 3/11 There are really so many good people around so I want to give a shout out to the honest folks who saw my carelessly dropped wallet on the sidewalk outside Tiny Thai on Tuesday night. You are the best. When: Tuesday, March 11, 2014. Where: on the street. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #912057 Hot Stuff You were pressing apples while I pulled a pint. You complimented my jean shorts and I your musk of sweat and danger. I look forward to working with you more when we are on the same street. Meow. When: Thursday, March 13, 2014. Where: vat of mayo. You: Man. Me: Man. #912056 BlueEyedGirl: I Saw Your Smile! BlueEyedGirl, we’ve sort of seen each other elsewhere but didn’t get the chance to connect. Now’s the time for me to make the “match.” I’m eager to actually talk with you. I tried to contact you another way but that lead vanished today. I’m an easygoing, downto-earth person, and you seem the same. We also both have the same goals/interests. When: Wednesday, March 12, 2014. Where: Burlington. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912055 BEST BUY WILLISTON On Sunday, March 9th, you anonymously purchased a remote control car for my son. I want to say thank you. It provided me the perfect opportunity to teach him how to pay it forward. It taught me humility. I sometimes forget that there are truly kind and selfless people in the world. May karma shine on you. When: Sunday, March 9, 2014. Where: Best Buy Williston. You: Man. Me: Woman. #912054
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VT Federal Credit Union Middlebury You were the one who deposited something for me at the Middlebury branch this morning, 3-12-14. You greeted me with such energy and compassion. Your name is Erin and you looked gorgeous. You know when you meet someone and after you feel good? Thanks Erin for making my day with your smile and kindness, just happens to be you’re also gorgeous. When: Wednesday, March 12, 2014. Where: Vermont Federal Credit Union Middlebury. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912053 Lake Champlain chocolates First time I saw you at Lake Champlain chocolates on Valentine’s Day, we looked at each other. Then I saw you on March 8 at Williams Sonoma. You had a Starbucks coffee, we looked at each other, you smiled :). You know who you are, tall, long hair, brown coat, beautiful girl. If you see this, hit me up :). When: Saturday, March 8, 2014. Where: Willimas Sonoma. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912050 Face Plant NEFCU Parking lot To the kind person who picked me up from my embarrassing face plant, I think I forgot to thank you. Thank you! When: Friday, March 7, 2014. Where: South Burlington. You: Man. Me: Woman. #912049 To My Bright Love S He stands hand pressed to the closet door, he holds a secret no one knows, it’s there inside all the clothes she wore, the sweetness of her hangs between, a favorite dress that hugged her chest, a maternal sweater on which he dreamed, all the items of her belongingness, all the things she left behind, safe within these planks of pines. JMM When: Thursday, March 6, 2014. Where: Burlington. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912048 Handsome man helping at Shaw’s You help the guys bagging groceries at Shaw’s. You have a very compassionate and genuine smile. You have curly hair. Last time I saw you, you had a hair wrap that was so fine. I’m blondish and usually wearing a black coat and a slouchy grey hat. I am quite taken by the way your spirit shines through. Coffee sometime? When: Saturday, February 1, 2014. Where: Shaw’s, Colchester. You: Man. Me: Woman. #912046 Quick cab cutie Saw you drop off a few fares in the early morning hours of Mardi Gras, you ran out looking for a pen sadly I didn’t have one for you. Wouldn’t mind taking you out sometime if you’re available when I’m not working. Drive safe! When: Saturday, March 1, 2014. Where: Main Street. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912045 Steff in the blue dress You had a very cute blue dress on, and were newly 21 at Nectar’s celebrating Mardi Gras the other night. You asked me the name of the girl I was dating — I quickly told you that wasn’t the case. Let’s get drinks sometime? You know where I work so come find me. When: Saturday, March 1, 2014. Where: Nectar’s. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912044 Reading the paper Just saw ya, reading 7days and drinking what I presume was coffee at Uncommon Grounds. I skillfully spilled my latte on myself walking out the door trying to catch your eyes one last time. Should’ve said something then; here’s to hoping you see this. You are a beautiful brunette (blonde highlights too?) with rather stunning eyes. When: Saturday, March 1, 2014. Where: Uncommon Grounds. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912043
VTFCU Blond beauty S.Burl I see you every week when I come in to cash my check. Your soft voice and beautiful smile make my day. You are very friendly and always try to make conversation with me. You said I smelled like coffee, and I said I don’t drink coffee. Wish I said more. If you’re free for a night out, I’d love to take you. When: Friday, February 28, 2014. Where: VFCU South Burlington branch. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912042
Unbeknownst You with diamond-blue eyes, taking out the trash as I was walking in. Thank you for heating my taco wrap on a cold winter day! When: Tuesday, February 25, 2014. Where: Jeffersonville. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912033 99 Asian Market Whenever I hear Edward Sharpe, I think of lounging on the waterfront with you eating fancy bread while The sun sets. You’re dark, handsome, killer in bed and make an awesome breakfast. I missed my chance two years ago; too naive, anxious, young and stupid. Will you give me another? Lets’s drink fine wine, dance and have an endless summer. When: Saturday, February 15, 2014. Where: North Winooski Ave. You: Man. Me: Woman. #912032 Gosh you’re sooooo pretty For years I have been attempting to make eye contact with you, and finally you smiled at me and say hi. I got super nervous and pretended I didn’t notice. Sorry! Let’s go see a movie. You are a waitress; I wear a unique hat. When: Sunday, February 23, 2014. Where: Church St. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912031
Cute blonde at Spanked Puppy I was at the Spanked Puppy, saw a beautiful blonde in a pink shirt playing pool. Wow. Me: little older guy. You definitely were turning some heads. How would someone say hi to you without messing up their words? I don’t go there very often, but I wish I did. When: Friday, February 28, 2014. Where: Spanked Puppy. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912041
Sweetpea 10/17 You know how I feel about you. I share it with you often. Lately I can’t seem to get you off my mind. Maybe it’s spring and I want a new begining or maybe it’s the more time I spend with you the more time I want with you. You still make my heart race whenever I see you. When: Monday, February 25, 2013. Where: in my thoughts and heart daily. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912029
Into the Mystic Mav, you took me to London on Valentine’s Day to see my favorite musician. Can it get more romantic than that as a first date. Loved seeing all the sites after they were closed and the cottage was a perfect little nest. You have earned my heart. I trust that you will be kind. Your Brown Eyed Girl When: Friday, February 14, 2014. Where: London. You: Man. Me: Woman. #912040
Bear Trap Hey Isadora! It was great meeting you the other night at the Carnation Corral. Even though I have been banned, I hope you don’t mind if I stop by for a visit again. Also, I hope you found the gift I left for you! Real bear traps are hard to come by! So are ladies like you! -AL When: Friday, February 21, 2014. Where: the Carnation Corral. You: Woman. Me: Woman. #912028
Stunning Bartender at Federal One Bartender at Federal One in St. Albans. I usually see you (or hope to) during our monthly dinner meetings. New hair color suits you well; your eyes simply sparkle and you have a really great memory! Switchback. When: Tuesday, February 4, 2014. Where: Federal One. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912039
BTBAM @ Higher Ground Me: man. You: hot blonde. Where: Between the Buried and Me ,Higher Ground. Standing together at the bar, you apologized for bumping into me because you were tipsy, which was OK. I was trying to get closer to you. Then we shook hands while flipping each other off. Too bad you were with your boyfriend. Let’s meet up sometime without him. When: Monday, February 24, 2014. Where: Higher Ground Ballroom. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912026
haven’t recently spied I’ve been looking but haven’t seen a beagle pulling a skier, or the other way around. Any interest in going out together? When: Wednesday, February 12, 2014. Where: a couple weeks ago. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912038 A Pearl in the Darkness Cloistered oyster open. Bring ‘bout beauty bountiful, grown in the shadow. When: Thursday, January 23, 2014. Where: on the sea floor. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912037 Waitress at Zen Lounge Dark hair with curls, you waited on us last Saturday and you were fabulous! Great smile and personality. We will definitely be back and I hope to see you around Burlington when you aren’t working. ;) When: Saturday, February 22, 2014. Where: Zen Lounge. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912036 cutie at bottles r us You work at the bottle redemption behind Merola’s. I come in there to bring my bottles in, but I’m always too scared to talk to you. your smile is AMAZING! Just wondering if you’re single and want to go out sometime? ;) When: Tuesday, February 25, 2014. Where: Burlington, VT. You: Man. Me: Woman. #912035 “sorta” single in Stowe Glad we could chat on Sunday and would love to hear from you. You have my #; call it! When: Sunday, February 23, 2014. Where: Stowe. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912034
I Like Your Hoodie! Thanks so much! I was walking passed Maple Street on S. Winooski Ave. when you drove past and complimented me on my panda sweatshirt. That made me smile, thanks! When: Friday, February 21, 2014. Where: Thursday at Dusk. You: Woman. Me: Man. #912025
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In the spirit of Vermont Restaurant Week, the Vermont Community Foundation is honored to make a $5,000 grant to the Vermont Foodbank in support of its programs that bring more local, healthy food to Vermonters.
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Cornerstone Pub & Kitchen The Daily Planet Das Bierhaus El Cortijo Cantina & Taqueria The Elusive Moose The Farmhouse Tap & Grill Fire & Ice Restaurant The Foundry Guild Fine Meats Guild Tavern Halvorson’s Upstreet Café Hen of the Wood (Burlington, Waterbury) Hunger Mountain Coop Deli and Café J. Morgan’s Steakhouse Junior’s Italian Juniper Kismet The Kitchen Table Bistro L’Amante Ristorante La Brioche Bakery La Villa Bistro & Pizzeria The Lake-View House Leunig’s Bistro & Café
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The Scuffer Steak & Ale House Shanty on the Shore Sherpa Kitchen Silver Palace Simon Pearce Restaurant The Skinny Pancake (Burlington, Montpelier) Sonoma Station South End Kitchen Sweetwaters The Spot Three Brothers Pizza & Grill Three Penny Taproom Timbers Restaurant Toscano Café and Bistro Tourterelle Two Brothers Tavern The Whiskey Room at Rí Rá Irish Pub The Windjammer Restaurant & Upper Deck Pub Vermont Tap House Wooden Spoon Bistro
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The Mad Taco (Montpelier, Waitsfield, Waterbury) Maple City Diner Michael’s on the Hill The Mule Bar NECI on Main New Moon Café One Federal Restaurant & Lounge Pauline’s Café Piecasso Pizzeria & Lounge Pizza Barrio Pizzeria Verità Positive Pie (Hardwick, Montpelier) Positive Pie Tap & Grill Prohibition Pig Pulcinella’s The Red Clover Inn & Restaurant The Reservoir Restaurant and Tap Room Revolution Kitchen Roots The Restaurant Salt San Sai Japanese Restaurant Sarducci’s Restaurant & Bar
03.19.14-03.26.14
3 Squares Café 84 Main Sports Grill A Single Pebble Restaurant Antidote Ariel’s Restaurant ArtsRiot Kitchen Asiana House (Montpelier, Burlington) August First Bakery & Café The Bagel Place Barkeaters Restaurant Big Picture Theater and Café Black Krim Tavern Blue Cat Steak & Wine Bar Blue Paddle Bistro Bluebird Barbecue Bluebird Coffee Stop Bluebird Tavern Café Mediterano Café Provence (Brandon) Café Provence on Blush Hill (Waterbury) Café Shelburne Capitol Grounds Café Church & Main City Market/Onion River Co-op
SEVENDAYSvt.com
Special events include: The Sweet Start Smackdown, Culinary Pub Quiz, Foodie Flick, Parents’ Night Out and the Bartendar Brawl!
95 PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS (SO FAR!)
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3/18/14 4:24 PM
For almost 30 years our mission has been to stock our shelves with food that's good, clean, and local. We're now passing on NEW savings on over 5,000 products. NEW LOWER PRICES ANNIE'S ORGANIC MAC & CHEESES all 6oz. varieties: $2.99 everyday! MUIR GLEN ORGANIC TOMATOES all 15oz. varieties: $1.99 everyday! FIELD DAY ORGANIC BEANS all 15oz. varieties: $2.49 everyday! LUNA BARS & CLIF BARS all varieties: $1.29 everyday! NATURE'S PATH HERITAGE FLAKES $4.69 everyday! PRO TIP: Check out our BAM (Best All Month) Sales for even more spectacular savings.
STONYFIELD ORGANIC YOGURT all 32 oz. $2.79 down from $4.89... wow!
Read more about pricing and view a full, searchable list of our sales at healthylivingmarket.com
DORSET STREET, SOUTH BURLINGTON Ă— . . Ă— HEALTHYLIVINGMARKET.COM 1t-healthyliving031914.indd 1
3/17/14 6:28 PM
Published on Mar 20, 2014
Two Against a Town: Will a lesbian couple's Addison lawsuit prove harassment or sour grapes?
