Best of Burlington Magazine - Fall 2014

BURLINGTON

BEST OF

FA L L 2 0 1 4

L I F E A N D C U LT U R E I N T H E C H A M P L A I N VA L L E Y

Jess Boutique Dresses Up the Queen City Conant Metal & Light Celebrates 35 Years Hospitality Interiors

by TruexCullins

VOLUME 7 NO. 4 $4.95

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Contents F EA T U RES

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Burlington Furniture

Founded on

a futon.

by Tom Brandes

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Sleepy Hollow Inn

Enjoy Nordic ski trails or plan a wedding—or both! by mark aiken

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TruexCullins Hospitality Studio

Visions of place.

by sarah zobel

Cover photo by Patricia Braine. ŠSilver Images Vermont, 2014.

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departments

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Editor’s Note

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Contributors

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Online Hub

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Gatherings

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Season’s Best Roasted pumpkin seeds.

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36 What’s in Store Jess Boutique. by sarah tuff

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Art Scene Lyric Theatre. by jennifer rose smith

What’s Hot Conant Metal & Light. by nancy humphrey case

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Party Time A toast to fall.

Local Flavors Apples are the season’s perfect fruit.

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by susan nye

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Dining & Entertainment Guide

87 Happenings A calendar of events.

92 Burlington Buzz Erika Constantine, Burlington Town Center. by mike morin

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Special Advertising Section

54 Adventures of Autumn Shopping and fun things to do in our local Burlington area.

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BEST OF

BURLINGTON Coffee Table Publishing, LLC PO Box 1460, Quechee, VT 05059 (802) 295-5295 www.bestofburlingtonvt.com Publishers

Robin Gales John Gales Bob Frisch editor

Deborah Thompson ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Kristy Erickson Copy EDITOR

Elaine Ambrose Art direction/Design

CW Design Solutions, Inc. advertising design

Hutchens Media, LLC web design

Locable advertising

Robin Gales John Gales (802) 295-5295 coffeetablepublishing@comcast.net Keep us posted Best of Burlington wants to hear from our readers. Correspondence may be addressed to Letters to the Editor, Best of Burlington, PO Box 1460 Quechee, VT 05059. Or email editor@bestof burlingtonvt.com. Advertising inquires may be made by emailing ctpublishing@comcast.net or coffeetable publishing@comcast.net. Best of Burlington is published quarterly by Coffee Table Publishing, LLC,Š 2014. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. Best of Burlington accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, or photographs.

SFI-00665

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editor’s note

Fall Blessings As another gorgeous summer winds down, the carefree season of vacations and picnics gives way to more rigid schedules and packing lunchboxes. It’s time to prepare the children to go back to school, rake the leaves and fertilize the lawn before winter sets in, and follow our favorite football teams.

Topping my fall list of “Likes” are Patriots football, breathtaking foliage, and one last cruise on the lake on Columbus Day weekend. The kids eagerly await the fun of Halloween, and all of us look forward to a Thanksgiving feast. At our dinner table, my family practices the tradition of having each person comment on what they are thankful for. We have many blessings, and I try to express my thanks for them every day, but it’s always nice to share my thoughts with those dearest to me and to hear what everyone else holds most important in their hearts on this special day.

This year we’ll be traveling to Upstate New York for the holiday weekend, which means a ferry ride across Lake Champlain. I’m already looking forward to this adventure, and I’m hoping for smooth sailing. Keep your fingers crossed for me that there are no storms or blizzards to create huge waves on the lake! That’s definitely not my idea of a fun time!

We’ve packed this issue full of great things to do for fall, and we’re also highlighting some area businesses. Remember to support local retailers, and keep in touch with the latest news and events by checking our website often at www. bestofburlingtonvt.com. Enjoy!

Deborah Thompson Editor editor@bestofburlingtonvt.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/ Best-of-Burlington-Life-and-Culture-in-theChamplain-Valley-Magazine/185081471716

TWITTER: @BurlingtonVTmag

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B ES T O F B U R L I N G T O N

Contributors Mark Aiken Mark writes about a wide range of topics and especially enjoys covering recreational pursuits.

His work has appeared in the New York Times, 32 Degrees, and Eating Well. When he’s not writing, Mark teaches skiing at Stowe, trains for marathons, and plans bigger and better vacations.

Tom Brandes Tom is a New Hampshire native now living in Plymouth, Minnesota, where he writes on a variety of subjects including technology, health care, manufacturing, sustainability, and more. His work has appeared in a number of publications, including New Hampshire Wildlife Journal, Auto Magazine, Fire Chief, and Urban Land. He enjoys hiking, biking, and canoeing during annual visits to New Hampshire with his family.

Paul O. Boisvert Paul’s love of photography began when his father gave him a camera when he was eight years old. He now takes acclaimed photographs for such publications as the New York Times, several magazines, and commercial clients. Paul’s travels have taken him all over the world, but Lake Champlain always draws him back to his home state.

Nancy Humphrey Case Nancy is a contributor for The Christian Science Monitor and has been published in a variety of publications, including Northern Woodlands, Chicago Tribune, Mothering, and Cricket. She enjoys writing about Vermont’s landscape and culture, planning the next project at her home in Hyde Park, and riding her horses in the woods.

Jennifer Rose Smith

Sarah Zobel

Jennifer is a freelance writer, baker, and assistant sugarmaker. She writes about food, travel, and culture, and her work has appeared in Best of Burlington, Vermont Magazine, and Local Banquet. She lives in Burlington.

Sarah writes about health and wellness and parenting for regional and national publications. She lives with her husband and two sons in Essex Junction, Vermont.

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Gatherings

david A. Seaver

ENJOYING EVENTS AROUND TOWN

Shelburne Vineyard

david A. Seaver

david A. Seaver

david A. Sea ver

For a special outing this fall, treat your date to a tour of Shelburne Vineyard’s wine-making facility. Free tours are offered daily.

You’ll also enjoy stopping by the Tasting Room to learn more about the process while sipping current wines. The Tasting Room art gallery features a changing display by Vermont artists, and the retail shop features wines, local food products, and gifts.

Go to www.shelburnevineyard.com for details.

For more information and a list of the company’s recent awardwinning wines, visit our website at www.bestofburlingtonvt.com.

Send photos of your event to editor@bestofburlingtonvt.com.

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ONLINE H U B

www.bestofburlingtonvt.com Online Exclusives Shelburne Vineyard Go online for more information and photos about growing grapes and making wine locally, and find a list of several of the company’s award-winning wines for 2014.

Apple Picking Time Find a listing of area orchards and enjoy a great family outing.

Prohibition Pig Waterbury, Vermont’s destination for classic cocktails, craft beer and fine barbecue.

CHECK OUR October

ONLINE CALENDAR TO SEE LOCAL EVENTS HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND YOU CAN ADD YOUR OWN EVENT FREE!

We’re looking forward to hearing from you! DON’T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER!

www.facebook.com/bestofburlingtonvt

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season’s best

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds T h e p e rf e ct s n ac k o r cr o w d - pl e as i n g app e t i z e r

It’s always a treat to learn that a delicious food you already love just happens to be packed with nutrition. Snacking seems less sinful when a variety of vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and other nutrients are hiding behind lots of flavor and an addictive crunch.

Fall is the season for pumpkins—and with Halloween and Thanksgiving right around the corner, you’re sure to have at least one on hand. After you’ve scooped out the insides of your jack-o’-lantern or prepared a holiday pumpkin pie, save those seeds!

Tips for Roasting For the freshest pumpkin seeds, scoop them directly out of a pumpkin and clean them off under cold running water while they’re still moist. Let them air dry before roasting.

Roasting pumpkin seeds couldn’t be easier. Cover a cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper and lay the pumpkin seeds out in a single layer. Drizzle with light olive oil and seasonings of your choice. Bake them at 300° for about 30 minutes or until golden. Shake the pan repeatedly while baking and keep an eye on them so they don't burn. Here are a few of our favorite seasoning combinations.

Anything but Basic: Toss 11⁄2 cups of pumpkin seeds with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and a pinch of salt (or to taste).

Ginger-Orange: Mix pumpkin seeds with 2 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, and the zest from an orange.

Cheesy Seeds: Toss pumpkin seeds in 2 tablespoons butter, 1⁄4 cup Parmesan cheese, and 1 to 2 teaspoons of freshly cracked black pepper.

Healthy & Delicious Pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, are rich in phosphorus, magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc, and copper. They’re also a good source of vitamin A, vitamins B1, B2, and B3, protein, heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, and phytosterols, plant compounds that support healthy cholesterol.

The nutrients in pumpkin seeds have been found to support prostate health as well.

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Peppery Pepitas: Combine pumpkin seeds, 2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper, and 1⁄2 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper.

Pumpkin Seeds with a Kick: Mix pumpkin seeds with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1⁄8 to 1⁄4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or more if you want a bigger kick!), 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons of fresh lime juice.

Sugar & Spice: Toss pumpkin seeds with 2 tablespoons melted butter, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1⁄2 teaspoon of nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. w

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loc al fl avorS

Fall Bounty Enjoy the season’s

perfect fruit

If we had a national fruit, it would be the apple. And its

greatest promoter would be John Chapman, or as every schoolchild knows him, Johnny Appleseed. Children in colonial times played with apple-head dolls, while their older sisters peeled apples in one long strip to see the initial of the boys they would marry when it fell off their knives. Children in the 21st century still bob for apples, visit orchards each autumn, and present teachers with the most perfect fruit they can find. 4

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apple varieties & their uses DID YOU KNOW? 2,500 varieties of apples are grown in the United States.

Sources Apple Statistics: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service • United States Apple Association

variety

characteristics

fresh eating

Braeburn

Color varies from greenish gold with red to solid red. Blend of sweetness and tart flavor.

✓

Cortland

Large red fruit; resists browning.

✓

✓

✓

✓

Golden Delicious

This freckled, golden apple is the most popular yellow variety.

Sweet, wellbalanced flavor.

Does not brown easily when sliced.

✓

✓

✓

✓

Granny Smith

Pale green color.

Crisp texture and tart flavor.

✓

✓

✓

Honeycrisp

Yellow with mottled red; very juicy.

✓

McIntosh

Red with green color. Juicy with slightly tart flavor.

Bruises easily.

✓

Red Delicious

Solid red color.

Thin but tough skin; sweet with little acidity.

✓

sauce

baking

salad

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

Tips for Picking Apples are one of the easiest fruits to pick yourself, but there are a few basic rules:

• S elect firm apples that are free of

bruises. Apples ripen from the outside of the tree toward the center, so the apples on the outside of the tree will ripen first.

• P lace the palm of your hand around

the apple. With slight pressure, squeeze gently and twist it from the tree.

• L eave the leaves! It’s important for

the fruit bud to stay intact so it will produce an apple for next year’s crop.

There are plenty of pick-your-own apple orchards in the Burlington area. Visit www,bestofburlingtonvt.com for a list of places to go.

Photo © Christian Jung | Dreamstime.com

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Victor’s Old Country Fresh Apple Cake

2 cups apples, peeled, cored, and quartered 1 tsp salt 1 cup Sucanat or light brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp cinnamon 1 ⁄2 tsp nutmeg 1 ⁄4 tsp ground cloves 1 ⁄4 tsp ground ginger (or 1 tsp freshly grated) 1 cup golden raisins 1 ⁄2 cup unsalted butter, melted; reserve small amount for brushing on top 2 cups cake flour 2 red apples sliced into half-inch sections for top (see photo) Note: stems and seeds are left in as a decorative element.

1 tsp sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. In the bowl of a food processor, add 1 cup peeled and cored apple pieces with salt, sugar, vanilla, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and ginger.

Process quickly so some small chunks of apple remain. Add the second cup of apples, processing just one pulse. Add raisins and melted butter. Pulse once.

3. Add flour and process only until combined; dough will still have some lumps.

4. Turn mixture into a wellbuttered and floured 9x9x2-inch baking pan.

5. Arrange sliced apple sections around the top of the cake.

6. Brush with reserved melted butter. Sprinkle with sugar.

7. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Photo © Svetlana Kolpakova | Dreamstime.com

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DID YOU KNOW? Apples are a member of the rose family.

It takes about 36 apples to produce one gallon of apple cider.

Apple trees take four to five years to produce their first fruit.

Apples ripen six to ten times faster at room temperature than if they are refrigerated.

Don’t peel your apple. Two-thirds of the fiber and lots of antioxidants are found in the skin.

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ART SCENE S P O N S O R E D B Y V er m on t ener g y by j enn i f er rose s m i t h P h o t os C O U R T E S Y O F L yr i c t h e a t re

Lyric Theatre Company KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE FOR 40 YEARS Lyric Theatre Company is not an actual, physical place. There is no stage for performing, no marquis announcing upcoming shows. Rather, Lyric Theatre Company is an idea born of inspiration.

It was conceived 40 years ago as an ambitious dream to create big, Broadway-style shows locally, run by hundreds of volunteers. And while the Lyric may not have a space, for many Vermonters who love musicals it has become a home. 4

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Clockwise from far left: Les Miserables, 2014. Photo by Karen Pike. Nate Venet, music director and communications manager. Syndi Zook, executive director. Marianne Kendall in the Flynn makeup room, 2004. Jumping high and cast members from Beauty and the Beast, 2008. Both photos by Stephen Mease.

Art Scene is sponsored by Vermont Energy

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A Reflection of the Community “People come in and get hooked,” says Syndi Zook, executive director, “and then they just stick around.” Syndi is one of those people. She joined the company in 1980, and 35 years later, she is still thrilled by the scale of these productions—blockbuster shows staged at the Flynn, complete with singing, dancing, and customsewn costumes. Each show involves the work of around 300 volunteers who build every set and song from the ground up. Some are professionals, but many are amateurs with passions for singing and acting. Every show has open auditions, so each hopeful has a shot at center stage.

“There are no divas here,” says Syndi. “You have to earn your place on stage, every time.”

The diversity of skills needed to stage a Broadway musical is vast, but according to Syndi, it’s one source of Lyric Theatre Company’s ongoing vitality. “Theater is multidisciplinary and multigenerational,” she says. “It’s not based on gender, age, or economic status. When you get all those people together in one room, it’s an amazing opportunity for the transfer of knowledge.”

The Lyric does not seek out specialists and stars from outside the area, so the final production will always be dependent on who comes

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to auditions. “We’re bound by the people who show up,” says Syndi, “so the play will always be a reflection of the community.’’

“It is truly exciting,” he says, “to get up on stage at the Flynn in front of 7,000 people and to perform with a full orchestra.”

A Broad Appeal

A Home for the Lyric

This focus on diversity is also reflected in the company’s choice of shows. The 2014–2015 season includes Mel Brooks’ The Producers and Legally Blonde, which places an American comedy classic alongside a favorite from recent years. Syndi anticipates that the difference in tone and content will appeal to a broad range of audience members and volunteers.

And there will be many volunteers, as both of these plays are the kind of big productions that the Lyric favors. With so much local talent and enthusiasm for theater, they love shows that need many hands and voices—or in the case of The Producers, tap shoes.

The result is increasingly rare in the theater world. Even on Broadway, the cost of putting on large shows can be prohibitive, so successful scripts are often written for fewer performers with smaller musical accompaniment. This means that for directors, the Lyric is a rare opportunity to work with a large cast and a full orchestra.

Music director Nate Venet agrees that the Lyric’s scale and professionalism is compelling.

It’s part of why he continues to volunteer with the Lyric in addition to his paid musical work.

It is a testament to the longevity of the Lyric “dream” that Syndi, Nate, and other theater lovers remain so devoted to their work. But after 40 years as an idea, Lyric Theatre Company has embarked on a capital campaign to find a home. While the final shows are at the Flynn, much of the work, practice, and preparation for the shows happen at remote locations in the Burlington area. Costumes are sewn and sets are built in a 4,500-foot space in South Burlington, and the Lyric lacks a dedicated rehearsal, education, or workshop space.

The goal is to raise 1.4 million dollars in order to purchase a space and transform it into a permanent home for all the Lyric’s work, such as summer camps and classes. Shows would continue to be held at the Flynn, but the South Burlington space would hold the sets and costumes that the Lyric has created for shows—entire worlds built from scratch.

To Syndi, building a home for the Lyric is an extension of the dream that she and hundreds of others have kept alive for 40 years.

“We feel like the keepers of the flame,” says Syndi. “And the Lyric will be around for as long as people want us.” w

Opposite, top: A Chorus Line, 2008.

Photo by Stephen Mease. Center: Guys and Dolls, 2007. Photo by Al Abrams.

Bottom: Les Miserables, 2014. Photo

by Karen Pike. Above: Seussical the Musical, 2006. Photo by Karen Pike.

Lyric cast members on stage at The Flynn Theater. Below: Poster of Lyric’s first show, May 1, 1974.

Lyric Theatre Company PO Box 1688 Williston, VT (802) 658-1484 www.lyrictheatrevt.org

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Above: With dresses for every occasion all year-round, there are also incredible separates for any day of the week. Below: Accessories include bags as well as a selection of jewelry, shoes, and scarves.

Opposite: Owner Jessica Pomerleau.

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W HA T ’ S I N S T O R E

By Sarah Tuff

C e l e b r at i n g t h r e e years of dressing up the Queen City

Burlington’s pedestrian-friendly, brick-lined Church Street may seem a far cry from Montreal’s busy, commercial Saint Catherine Street, but there’s at least one Queen City boutique that owes a nod to its northern neighbor for its storefront appeal. That would be Jess Boutique, whose owner, Jess Pomerleau, spent a year living in Montreal after graduating from the University of Vermont. “I had to walk down Saint Catherine Street eight blocks every single day, so I got to window shop,” she says. “In the winter, I would go inside of the stores just to escape the cold.” 4 Fall 2014 / Best of Burlington

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The story behind her own store—a palace of Trina Turk tops, Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dresses, and 360 cashmere sweaters, however, is not so straightforward. In 2011, Jess was living in Florida, having just graduated from a four-year program in computer animation and applying to Pixar and Dreamworks in California when she had some doubts about her career path and called her mother, who suggested that perhaps opening a store in Vermont was a better pursuit.

“Over one phone conversation, I realized that what I loved was creativity and freedom,” recalls Jess. “Two weeks later, I was in Las Vegas buying for a store. I had absolutely no fashion background, no retail background, and no business background. I had been an art student my whole life.”

Jess, however, lucked out with a retail space on Church Street, which she filled with fashions inspired not only by her time in Montreal but also her stint down south. “I fell in love with dresses in Florida—throwing on one piece as a statement,” says Jess, modeling a floor-length black Nicole Miller gown as she provides a tour of her eponymous boutique. “So I dedicated 50 percent of the store to dresses; that’s our business.”

Helpful Advice and a Relaxed Vibe Despite her atypical path to fashion, Burlington-bred Jess did know a thing or two about getting fancy. “I’m an only child, so I had to learn how to entertain myself,” she says.

“I was always interested in costumes.” 4

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Dresses seen here are by Diane von Furstenberg, Trina Turk, and Laundry and Parker, with bags by orYany.

Below: Customers enjoy browsing through the latest styles.

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Having worked in the UVM theater department and studied costuming, Jess knows how to sew and even construct an 1800s-era bodice. She also has an eye when traveling for what might sell back home in Vermont, once returning with a couple of long-sleeved, copper-sequined gowns.

“I didn’t know who I was buying them for,” laughs Jess, who promptly sold them to a mother of the groom for a New Year’s Eve wedding and a 50-something bride getting married in Scotland.

On the flip side, Jess—who handpicks fashions for online shoppers through the store’s website too—will also buy specific items for certain customers while she’s at a New York City show. “Cheryl loves leather,” she says of one regular, “so when I see, say, leather leggings, I say to myself, ‘Cheryl is going to love these!’”

Expect to see lots of leather trim this fall, says Jess, along with bold colors and beading, such as the ivory-and-black dressy top from Parker. Just don’t expect to be bombarded or stalked by one of the seven employees at the store; Jess explains that her lack of a longtime retail background creates a more-relaxed vibe around the boutique. Customer service, she

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Dresses by Nicole Miller are the perfect fit for any body type. Shoes and bags by Diane Von Furstenberg.

says, means being ready to dispense advice when the shopper is ready.

“My biggest tip is to trust sales associates and try it on,” says Jess of selecting the ideal outfit for an occasion. “There are so many dresses that don’t have hanger appeal, and when you put one on, it can be absolutely perfect on you.”

Reaching Out to the Community You just might get a “paws up” from Jess’s newest employee, a rescue dog from St. Croix named Willard. Dedicated not only to helping women dress up but also to helping lift spirits in her community, Jess spends one day a week volunteering at the Vermont Children’s Hospital at Fletcher Allen, doing art projects with kids.

“I’ve traveled the world, and I still love Burlington more than any other place I’ve been,” she says. “It’s the views and the lakes, but really, the people are so wonderful here.”

To help bring some of those people into Jess Boutique, she applies her art background toward the same eye-catching window displays that once enchanted her in Montreal. “This fall, it will be a surprise for leaf peepers,” says Jess, who in the past has created a largerthan-life Christmas display of floor-to-ceiling presents. 4

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Dresses by BCBG and Cynthia Vincent.

With her former life in Florida, could another Jess Boutique land in a warmer climate soon? “It’s definitely been a thought,” says Jess, “but right now I have my Church Street store, my online store, and I also sell our products on a site called Shoptiques.com. Three ‘locations’ in three years is enough for me right now, but who knows what will happen in our fourth year!” w

Jess Boutique

98 Church S treet Burlington, V T (802) 660-40 04 jessboutiqu e.com

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Clockwise from above: Solid hardwood furniture is made in Vermont by craftsmen at Maple Corner Woodworks.

Comfort and color combine to make a beautiful sofa/ chaise. Solid walnut modern bed is made by Copeland in Vermont. Reclaimed wood foosball table with industrial base makes a strong design statement.

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by Tom Brandes Photos by Paul O. Boisvert

Owner and founder Mark Binkho rst.

Burlington Furniture Founded on a futon Thirty years ago, Mark Binkhorst was a recent graduate of the University of Vermont in Burlington. Hoping to make a few bucks in a one-time move, he bought 14 futons to sell to family and friends. Fortunately for him, they didn’t sell right away. 4

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Opposite, clockwise from top left: Customize your furniture with multiple pillow and fabric options. Solid walnut table top is 13⁄4 inches thick—that’s solid hardwood furniture!

The store offers many fabric, leather, and decorative pillow options to suit your taste. This page: Minimal, clean lines are a significant feature in mid century modern design. Bottom: While the retail team sells, Anjou Whelan, accounting, and Mike Domingue, operations manager (both seated), keep things running smoothly.

In a panic, Mark lowered the price, made cardboard signs advertising the futons, and placed them around the university campus.

The next day when he arrived at the vacant storefront where the futons were stored, he found a crowd had gathered. When he asked someone what was happening, he was told everyone was waiting for the “futon guy.”

“I sold all the remaining futons that day and headed back to Boston with a U-Haul trailer to buy more,” recalls Mark. “This kept happening, and I was making so many trips on the highway down to Boston and back that I started naming trees along the way. Within six months I was selling 100 futons a month.”

Burlington Furniture Company has a warm and inviting 15,000-square-foot showroom with brick walls and wooden floors in the old Vermont Maid Maple Syrup building on Pine Street.

Not Just Futons And so Burlington Futon Company was born. Renamed Burlington Furniture Company in 2007, the business marked the 30th anniversary of its founding in August. A far cry from the original vacant storefront, today the company has a warm and inviting 15,000-square-foot showroom with brick walls and wooden floors in the old Vermont Maid Maple Syrup building on Pine Street. 4 Fall 2014 / Best of Burlington

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Whether it’s occasional or dining tables, you can customize both tops and bases with many choices of glass, wood, or metal.

In the company’s early days, futons were a cottage industry, and there were just a few suppliers. Not content to buy products with inconsistent quality, within two years Mark and his employees were making many of their own futons on the floor by hand.

In 1990, the company established a cut-and-sew operation in Vermont to wholesale its own futon covers.

By 2005, the company had closed its wholesale business and focused on being a retailer. Although it had always been a futon store that sold some furniture, the focus shifted to become a furniture store that sold some futons.

Going from selling $600 futon packages to selling $6,000 leather sofas was a smart business decision, but the company still sells a significant number of futons annually.

“When we started, a lot of people didn’t know what a futon was. We had people stop in and ask, ‘What’s a futon?’ They thought we sold ice cream or something,” says Mark. “And even though we changed our name, advertised heavily, and have been voted Best Furniture Store the past four years, people still come in and say, ‘I thought you just sold futons.’”4 48

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Bringing Exclusive Products to Vermont Today, Burlington Furniture sells furniture with clean lines—not “Bubba” (big/oversized) furniture. Currently, mid century modern is hot, and well-designed bamboo furniture is new—and a highly sustainable product because it grows to maturity in five years or less.

His team of employees handle the day-today operations, freeing Mark to go to industry trade shows, including two each year in Highpoint, North Carolina—the furniture manufacturing capital of the world—to see what’s trending and what’s coming from the factories. He also visits design centers, furniture stores, and museums when traveling to get inspiration and ideas for new products to sell.

In 2009, the company joined the Contemporary Design Group—a collection of like-minded independent retailers that’s a combination networking/performance/buying group. Group members work directly with furniture manufacturers to create designs their customers want, and being part of a buying group allows the company to bring exclusive products to Vermont at a better value than a stand-alone store.

“We’ve always been about value, comfort, and good design. People in our region thought they had to go to Boston or New 50

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Top: Sectionals and sofas are available in family- and pet-friendly fabrics. Chris Kelsey and Cat Lubin on the phone working with customers.

York City for contemporary furniture. Now they come to us because of our attention to design and service,” Mark says. “Customers shouldn’t be afraid to ask how and where something is made, and whether there’s a warranty.”

Burlington Furniture continues to thrive as shoppers go online to see what’s available, or go “showrooming” and take photos of price tags in order to compare prices with online retailers. Mark will match any verifiable price within reason and noted that shoppers often don’t realize how shipping fees and potential damage from shipping negate the perceived advantages of online retailers. 4 Fall 2014 / Best of Burlington

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Rob Marcotte and Greg Stewart provide the heavy lifting with a smile.

Keeping It Local The company’s staff and their ability to connect with customers in a friendly way are its biggest assets. The business has evolved from just selling an item to providing design assistance, including in-home and in-store design consultation.

Since its founding, buying local as much as possible has been very important, and Burlington Furniture has long-standing relationships with Vermont-based Lyndon Furniture, Maple Corner Woodworks, and Copeland Furniture. Mark points out that 68 cents of every dollar spent locally stays in the local economy.

It’s been an incredible run, and like most entrepreneurs, if Mark had known the risk and hard work involved at the beginning, he probably wouldn’t have started this venture.

But he’s proud of what he and his employees have built by working to provide solutions rather than just selling an item.

To mark its 30th anniversary, Burlington Furniture will plant 300 trees through the Nature Conservancy and donate one percent of sales to the Coalition on Temporary Shelter (COTS), which helps the homeless in Burlington. “We feel fortunate to have a roof over our heads, and we want to do our part to help keep one over others who are less fortunate,” says Mark. w

388 Pine Street, Burlington, VT (802) 862-5056 www.burlingtonfurniturecompany.com 52

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Adventures of ECCO Clothes

Autumn

ECCO, Burlington’s original designer boutique, has been dressing Vermonters in top brands for over 20 years! From denim to dresses, boots to stilettos, ECCO has it all! Premium denim lines like J Brand, AG, Paige, and Citizens of Humanity; elevated basics by James Perse, Splendid, and Michael Stars; blouses by Ella Moss, Bella Dahl, and Velvet by Graham & Spencer; dresses by ABS, and Laundry, and BCBG; shoes by Steve Madden, Dolce Vita, and Seychelles; handbags by Hobo and Liebeskind. From basic to anything but, ECCO has you covered. For big-city style with a small-town feel, visit ECCO on the corner of Bank Street and Church Street in the heart of Burlington.

Shopping & fun things to do in our local Burlington area!

Morse Farm Whether you’re sharing the taste of Vermont with friends and family across the country or across the street, Morse Farm has a selection of the finest Vermont products in gift combinations for any budget. Stop by or shop online. Sure, there’s the finest Vermont maple syrup you’ll ever taste, but there’s also much more to choose from. If you’re lucky enough to be in the area, stop by with the whole family for sugarhouse tours, the woodshed theater, maple trail, and more.

1168 County Road Montpelier, VT (800) 242-2740 maple@morsefarm.com www.morsefarm.com

81 Church Street Burlington, VT (802) 860-2220 www.eccoclothesboutique.com

Vermont Icelandic Horse Farm

Boutilier’s Fine Art Materials and Custom Framing A fixture in downtown Burlington since 1925, we offer on-site professional custom framing and the largest selection in the area of the finest art supplies from around the world. Come discover the artist in you!

139 Bank Street Burlington, VT (802) 864-5475 www.boutiliersart.com Mon–Sat 10am–6pm; Sun 12–5pm See us on Facebook.

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Tour the Mad River Valley on one of the oldest horse breeds in the world, Icelandic Horses. They’re the ideal saddle horse.

The Vermont Icelandic Horse Farm is near the historic village of Waitsfield in the heart of the Sugarbush resort area. We offer full-day and half-day trail rides as well as two-to-six-day treks. At the end of the day, stay in our 1860s-era Victorian country house. Soak in the hot tub, sleep restfully in our featherbeds, and awake to a gourmet breakfast.

3061 North Fayston Road Fayston, VT (802) 496-7141 www.icelandichorses.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Petra Cliffs Petra Cliffs Climbing Center and Mountaineering School focuses on climbing and mountain-related education and recreation, accessible to all ages and abilities. We offer premium instruction and services through experience-based education in an inspiring atmosphere for families and friends to gather for a challenge and fun. Petra Cliffs is also home to an indoor ropes course for birthday parties, teams, and groups.

105 Briggs Street Burlington, VT (802) 657-3872 www.petracliffs.com

Jamie Two Coats A magical place in the heart of Shelburne Village filled to the brim with your favorite things!

Beautiful dolls, wonderful wooden toys, fun dress up, creative art supplies, Lego, Playmobil, and Bruder trucks. A great place to pick up that lastminute party or birthday gift.

54 Falls Road Shelburne, VT (802) 985-3221 Mon–Sat 10am–6pm Sun 11am–5pm

Stella Mae Cooler weather is upon us, and it’s time to freshen those wardrobes. Located on the Church Street Marketplace, Stella Mae carries a carefully selected shoe, clothing, and accessory collection.

Brands include Frye, Sam Edelman, Coclico, Donald Pliner, Jeffrey Campbell, Alternative, Dolce Vita, and Chaser.

We also offer an online experience at stella-mae.com.

96 Church Street Burlington, VT (802) 864-2800 www.stella-mae.com

Shelburne Vineyard Winery and Tasting Room Join us for a taste and tour and let us share our adventure growing grapes and making wine in northern Vermont.

Sample our full menu of wines and enjoy a glass of your favorite on our canopied patio overlooking the ripening grapes, or try our special Wine and Cheese Pairing option.

Check our website or follow us on Facebook or @shelburnevinyrd on Twitter to learn about concerts and events, and don’t forget to ask about planning your own special event here! Gift baskets and certificates available.

6308 Shelburne Road Shelburne, VT (802) 985-8222 www.shelburnevineyard.com Open 7 days a week, all year.

11am–6pm May–Oct 11am–5pm Nov–April

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery For more than 20 years, FS Gallery has been a destination for discerning art lovers seeking the finest in original art, museum-quality custom framing, and restoration services. We also offer an eclectic and affordable selection of handmade and fair trade crafts and gifts. Original artwork can be taken home on a trial basis before purchasing.

86 Falls Road Shelburne, VT (802) 985-3848 ww.fsgallery.com

Lake Champlain Ferries

Spellbound Vermont Spellbound Vermont is a fashion-savvy new store on Church Street. Formally known as Salaam & The Men’s Store, Spellbound is your place to buy the locally made Salaam line. Also find a fantastic selection of clothing, jewelry, and accessories for men and women. Brands include Desigual, Alternative, Lucky Brand, Matix, and Ben Sherman.

Three ferry crossings on Lake Champlain: * Grand Isle, VT to Plattsburgh, NY: Open 24 hours daily * Burlington, VT to Port Kent: Open mid June to September 29 * Charlotte, VT to Essex, NY: Open all year, ice conditions permitting Public cruises and private charters available during the summer season. Visit www.ferries.com for more information.

1 King Street Burlington, VT (802) 864-9804 www.ferries.com

106 Church Street Burlington, VT (802) 658-8822 www.spellboundvt.com

Mason Brothers Offering a wide selection of reclaimed and antique building materials, Mason Brothers’ Architectural Salvage Warehouse’s 13,000-square-foot warehouse is filled with fireplace mantels, stained and beveled-glass windows, lighting, hardware, columns and pillars, marble and pedestal sinks, claw-foot tubs, windows, furniture, and unique artifacts.

11 Maple Street Essex Junction, VT (802) 879-4221 www.greatsalvage.com

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w h at ’ s h ot by nancy humphrey case Photos by ian walker

CONANT

metal & Light

c r e at i n g f u n c t i o n a l works of art When does managing a business become an art? Ask Steve Conant, maker of artistic repurposed lighting and metal furniture. His Pine Street business, which started out as Conant Custom Brass in 1978 and is now celebrating its 35th anniversary, has gone through several iterations in response to market trends, enabling it to thrive under unlikely scenarios. 4 Top: Visit www.conantmetalandlight.com to see the entire Insulator Collection and more! Right: Stop into the showroom to see a wide assortment of repurposed and vintage lighting and furniture.

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While Conant still does lamp repairs and restoration, the company’s current focus is on breathing new life into old things and bringing the past into the future in a whole new way.

Today, Conant Metal & Light employs 15 people and embraces a variety of functions, from manufacturing light fixtures with antique blue-glass canning jars for farm-to-table restaurants, to repairing a cathedral’s crystal chandelier, to creating custom, exotic light fixtures for a high-end home. The company also creates furniture from antique metal objects, such as a vintage tricycle or industrial cabinets.

“I have always loved old metal objects,” says Steve, who grew up near Hartford, Connecticut. “In high school I made a light fixture out of a Model T crankshaft.

My dad had a great workshop, and I have always been intrigued by our nation’s industrial past.”

Steve studied wildlife biology at the University of Vermont, thinking to com60

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bine it with his artistic interests by doing biological and medical illustration. But getting involved with a construction project changed the course of his career. He found remodeling the restaurant on Pearl Street—known then as Deja Vue Café— so satisfying that when he graduated from UVM, he opened his brass-based business.

“There were a lot of woodworkers in those days,” he says, “but not many metalworkers. I starved nonetheless.”

His dad put him in touch with a man in Mystic, Connecticut, who was doing a thriving business refinishing brass. “I was 23 years old,” Steve recalls. “I called him up and said, ‘I’ll pay you $50 a day if you’ll let me come and work for you for a week.’”

After getting the inside scoop, Steve’s

business picked up and he needed a bigger space. One day he knocked on the door of 270 Pine Street and asked, “Is this place ever going to be for rent?” The proprietor announced he’d just decided to sell the building. The price was $50,000. Steve asked family members for help and secured a loan with an uncle for $25,000 to buy his first retail space on a main street.

A decade later he would buy the whole Soda Plant building, make studio space available to artists, serve on the board of the South End Arts and Business Association, and help launch its Art Hop, which Steve calls “the quintessential example of the creative economy at work.” This year, from September 5 to 7, over 500 artists will join Conant Metal & Light in celebrating the artsy buzz along the Pine Street Corridor. 4 Fall 2014 / Best of Burlington

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Custom options are limitless! Make an appointment with the sales team to discuss what they can do for your space.

A Narrow Miss From 1982 to 1996, Steve polished and resold old builder’s hardware, manufactured new pieces, including trim for Vermont Castings stoves, and restored antiques.

Then he had another brainstorm—make something out of brass that other people would sell. He decided on a thermometer, made 20 samples modeled after an antique one, and sent them to big mail order houses like L.L. Bean, Smith & Hawken, and Gardener’s Supply. They ran with it. L.L. Bean placed an order for 12,000.

“It was the scariest and the most exciting moment in the history of the business,” Steve says. “Suddenly the bookkeeper and everyone else in the company was making thermometers.”

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enjoyed a boom, but Steve saw the writing on the wall in 2005, when manufacturers in China started eroding margins in domestic markets. The following year he decided to sell the manufacturing part of his business and found a buyer in Weems & Plath, who were making nautical instruments but wanted to expand into the outdoor décor and gift market. It would turn out to be a wise move.

After closing the deal in 2008, Steve continued building the thermometers for the new owner until they could be outsourced to China—something Steve refused to do. He expected a new door to open for his business, but then the economy tanked.

He rebranded his company as Conant Metal & Light, and in retrospect, that was serendipitous.

“It wasn’t strategically planned,” Steve says, “but that was about when the commercial market for brass began to fade.” Having sold the brass thermometer business, the company was debt free and able to survive the economic downturn. “We downsized, tried to get our feet back under us, and discovered there was a market for lighting made with reclaimed, discarded materials. It was a very exciting prospect.”

A Maker With A Head For Business Other factors have converged to make this a fortuitous time for Steve. The Internet enables him to find the vintage industrial materials he needs, and the farm-to-table restaurant movement finds his lighting a perfect fit for their values, including creatively designed products made with Fall 2014 / Best of Burlington

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You never know what you might find in the Conant Metal & Light showroom—or where your imagination will take you.

responsibly sourced materials. And as the market gets swamped with generic products and the “maker movement” gains traction, Steve expects demand for products that “have some meaning” to increase.

He never went to business school, but Steve feels his artistic and scientific backgrounds have given him the creative and problem-solving abilities to make a business last—“the capacity to see something that doesn’t exist, to recognize a market for it, chase it, and satisfy it.”

Having been saddened by seeing whole US factories getting melted down and shipped to China, Steve is now thrilled to realize there’s a market for objects of our industrial past—a market on which a business model can be built. He says, “This activity makes my heart sing.” w

Conant Metal & Light 270 Pine Street Burlington, VT (800) 832-4482 www.conantmetalandlight.com 64

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Sleepy Hollow Inn enjoy nordic ski trails or plan a wedding—or both!

by Mark Aiken photos courtesy of sleepy hollow Inn unless otherwise noted

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Mark Aiken

Enjoying Nordic skiing at Sleepy Hollow Inn in Huntington, Vermont, it’s easy

Sleepy Hollow’s Wedding Barn and beautiful property are an ideal setting to gather family and friends for a ceremony. Left: Winter at Butternut Cabin. Photo by Pennie Rand.

to forget that you’re located just 30 minutes from Burlington—or that city life even exists. Maybe it’s because to get to Sleepy Hollow, you turn off Huntington Road and drive for what seems like forever (it’s actually just about two miles) on a narrow dirt road.

Maybe it’s the demeanor of most of Sleepy Hollow’s clientele—friendly, down-home, and outdoorsy. Or maybe it’s the trail names like Skywalker, Yoda, and Tatooine. Is this Earth? Or have you been transported to the ice planet of Hoth?

By the time you return to your car in the parking area by the lodge and Round Barn, you realize that you are, in fact, still on your home planet; that Vermont’s Queen City is still only a short distance away; and that the galactic trail names are the result of general manager Eli Enman’s Star Wars fetish. But you also get the sense that you just spent time skiing at a special place in Vermont’s Green Mountains that’s owned by a special family, the Enmans.

Getting Started In the late 1990s, Dave Enman was a “spec” builder, always on the lookout for the next piece of property on which to build. His business was constructing houses and then selling them. “When we found this property, we deviated from that pattern,” he says. The 800-acre property in question was the former Sherman Hollow cross-country center in Huntington, Vermont, which had ceased operations seven years before.

Recreational athletes and skiers, Dave and his wife Sandra raised two children who became passionate skiers and runners, later Nordic racers at elite levels. In 1999, Dave and his son Eli began seriously discussing purchasing the property and trying to reinvigorate the defunct ski area. 4

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Photos by Christian Arthur.

Guests enjoy celebrating a recent wedding.

Photos by Christian Arthur.

“Our kids graduated from college with no real marketable skills,” Dave jokes. “So we bought a Nordic center in order to get them jobs.” Eli serves as general manager; Dave handles all maintenance, mowing, and grooming responsibilities; daughter Molly Enman Peters serves as event coordinator; and Sandra, a certified CPA with a separate accounting firm, handles the books.

The Enmans acquired the property in 1999 and began the gargantuan task of renovating it after it had been idle for the better part of a decade. Logging operations had rutted the trails. Squatters and campers had wrecked the lodge. Dave and Eli toiled for a year, gutting and renovating the lodge, and reconfiguring and rebuilding ski trails, before finally opening Sleepy Hollow for skiing in 2000.

Identifying a Niche Sarah Pribram, a Nordic skiing enthusiast, has been skiing at Sleepy Hollow nearly since the beginning. “They do everything themselves,” she says of the Enmans, whether it’s grooming trails, constructing buildings, or maintaining their equipment.

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“It’s been a process, and we’ve learned every step of the way,” says Eli. Northern Vermont is home to several Nordic centers, and each seems to have its special niche. Sleepy Hollow is close to many Chittenden County population centers, but it feels remote. Year by year, they have improved the trail system for skiing and biking, even adding a lighted ski loop to appeal to the ski crowd that works from 9 to 5. The key for the Enmans, however, was identifying their niche.

“Weddings,” says Dave. “Weddings have been a godsend.” Molly Enman Peters joined the Sleepy Hollow team in 2002 and has grown the wedding business. Wedding parties rent the eight-bedroom inn for two nights. “There are lots of wedding venues in Vermont, and we seem to draw outdoororiented folks who want to hike, bike, and really use the facility,” says Eli. Along the way, they have added infrastructure. Dave’s background as a builder came in handy as they constructed a covered pavilion and a Round Barn, loosely based on Richmond’s historic Round Church. “The Church has just 16 sides,” says Dave, in a classic example of one-upmanship. “Ours has 17—it’s a heptadecagon.”

This year Sleepy Hollow hosted over 30 weddings, including one memorable mudseason ceremony. “Getting the road ready was challenging,” notes Dave. To hold a wedding at Sleepy Hollow is to gather your party off the beaten path. And it is to surround your event with an idyllic and pastoral setting that you could find only in Vermont. 4 Fall 2014 / Best of Burlington

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As winter approaches, however, all eyes turn to skiing. At a time of year when every Alpine resort begins snowmaking operations (at least in their higher reaches), most Nordic centers lack snowmaking. “We added snowmaking in 2012,” says Eli. Nordic racers are the most diehard of Nordic skiers, and they will ski on almost anything, including a single-kilometer track. Molly and Eli—former elite racers who currently coach (Molly at Saint Michael’s College and Eli at Champlain Valley Union High)—understand this desire.

“When it’s cold enough or there’s barely enough snow, the Enmans get it done,” says Liz Hollenbach, co-curator of the skier-driven website www.xcearlysnow.com. Once winter gets underway, skiers of all abilities will enjoy the 35 kilometers of trails and the setting. But the Enmans’ commitment to the early season, the lighted loop at night, and the manmade snow make Sleepy Hollow the destination for competitive racers and teams.

What makes Sleepy Hollow special is the Enman family’s connection to the place. “They don’t just work here,” says Sarah Pribram. Eli, Molly, Dave, and Sandra hike, ski, or run on the trails daily. All three of them live on the property (in houses built by none other than Dave) with their spouses and children. Keeping a Nordic ski area running is toilsome work.

A group enjoys Butternut Cabin.

Photo by Pennie Rand.

But for the Enmans, it is as much a lifestyle they have chosen as it is a job. “It is evident that they love the place,” Sarah says. “And they make everyone love it just as much.” w

Sleepy Hollow Inn

Mark Aiken

Ski and Bike Center 427 Ski Lodge Drive Huntington, VT (802) 434-2283 www.skisleepyhollow.com

Eli Enman, Molly Peters (with her children Mya and Levi), and Dave Enman.

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by SARAH ZOBEL

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b y sarah zo b el P ho t os b y j i m w es t phale n

TruexCullins Hospitality Studio VISIONS OF PLACE At Topnotch Resort in Stowe, there’s a unique sense of place. A natural flow leads guests from the interior to the exterior—from the lobby through the casual lounge to the patio with its ping-pong table and beyond, to the two pools and an outdoor dining area.

From inside, the looming view of Mount Mansfield is unadulterated; guests who stroll the manicured grounds after dark will find their eyes drawn to the main building, with its warm and inviting lighting. 4

The Roost at Topnotch Resort in Stowe, Vermont.

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Left: The new main entrance to Topnotch Resort. Above: Après Bar at Topnotch Resort.

Below right: The welcoming guest desk at Topnotch Resort.

a family-oriented gathering spot, an objective that’s reinforced by its central focus: a unique shuffleboard dining bar built by Shelburnebased Beeken Parsons. The area is a marked contrast to the old, more-formal dining room, with a children’s dining area sequestered down the hall.

A Unifying Approach

That integration of the two components, inside and out, was carefully orchestrated by the TruexCullins hospitality studio, which has been responsible for a number of renovations on the property. Most recently, the firm renovated the lobby and lounge, creating a space that—despite a newly smaller footprint—now feels more welcoming.

The Roost, where guests can enjoy breakfast, an afternoon nibble, happy hour, or dinner, is

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“We tried to break down the barriers in this design,” says firm principal and interior designer Kim Deetjen. Those are both physical and visual—Kim says the structural design and window placement were intended to “celebrate” the view of Mansfield, adding that the firm worked with the landscape architects at Wagner Hodgson to ensure the continuity of various design elements throughout the landscape as well.

That unifying approach is the hallmark of the TruexCullins hospitality studio. “There’s no ‘here are the interiors, and here’s the architecture,’” says associate and project manager Keith Nelson. “It’s totally intertwined.” 4

Kim Deetjen, firm principal and interior designer.

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Bleu Northeast Seafood Restaurant located in the Courtyard Marriott Burlington Harbor Hotel.

Before a single sketch is drawn for a new project, Keith and Kim take time to experience the location as guests. If it’s a hotel, they’ll stay a night or two to get the feel of the building’s functionality and circulation.

They’ll also be mindful of the locale, because the same sense of place that’s behind the farm-to-table movement has spread across the world of hospitality (Keith says that even larger corporations such as Mar76

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riott—with whom the team has worked— seek to establish a place-specific feeling in their hotels).

That genuine focus on place and materiality—and thorough knowledge of both— pops up repeatedly, as when Keith mentions Timber, a Bangor, Maine, restaurant they recently renovated. In a quick aside, he adds, “Bangor was the timber capital of the world at one point in the late 1800s.”

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Guest room at Hotel Vermont in Burlington.

Attuned to Local Markets & International Design Trends The overarching goal is to welcome guests back—whether travelers or natives—repeatedly, with each visit feeling novel. Keith says whether it’s a restaurant or a hotel, there should be multiple “zones, so you can come back and always experience something new.”

That might translate, for example, to a bar that also serves as a chef’s bar with a woodfired oven; on one visit, patrons might just have a drink, but on a second visit, perhaps they’ll enjoy a pizza there. It’s also a way to support food and beverage functionality— given today’s real estate prices, owners want to take full advantage of the spaces they’ve got. Kim and Keith routinely acknowledge that need by creating dual- or even triplefunction rooms.

So where many hotels have a breakfast room that’s only used for a couple of hours a day, at the Hotel Jackson, for example, the breakfast room becomes a library in the afternoon. At night, the sofa table can be transformed into six cocktail tables and guests can 78

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enjoy a fire, games, and movies. Alternatively, at New Hampshire’s Wentworth Hotel, they created a “pantry” with pocket doors that close it off after breakfast, giving the space a decidedly residential feel.

It’s an approach they’ve used to advantage over the past decade-plus, at locations as varied as Spur Restaurant in Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Casa Madrona Hotel and Spa in Sausalito, California; the Portland (Maine) Harbor Hotel; Vermont National Country Club in Burlington; Teton Springs Lodge and Spa in Victor, Idaho; Green Mountain Suites in South Burlington; Burlington’s Hotel Vermont; and Bleu Northeast Seafood in Burlington. Their latest project is a hotel renovation on Longboat Key, near Sarasota, Florida; they’re also getting started on one in Durango, Colorado.

Developer Chuck DesLauriers has collaborated with the TruexCullins hospitality studio on multiple projects, including Hotel Vermont and Bleu. Chuck says he routinely finds they’re equally in tune with local markets and international design trends. He applauds the group’s technical skills, from budgeting to 3D imaging; with up to six architects and six interior designers available, they’re able to bring a great deal to the project table. 4 Fall 2014 / Best of Burlington

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“Everyone involved in the team understands the design and what it’s going to look like before construction even starts,” says Chuck.

He says that Juniper, the Hotel Vermont restaurant, has brought in twice the anticipated revenue since opening, which he attributes as much to the skills of his chefs and service team as to the space’s layout and visual qualities.

Anticipating Needs with a Mutual Focus Sensory detail is something Keith and Kim strive to incorporate. Says Keith: “We always want to make sure that the senses are part of the experience,” and Kim adds that “it’s no good when colors have nothing to do with the locale or the building, or there’s a total disconnect when you walk in.”

Kim and Keith are always the first point of contact, and say they stay with each project until the door opens for business. Like any good partners, they anticipate clients’ needs and often know what the other is thinking before a word is said.

He’s more practical minded, the one who will locate a local craftsman to construct affordable light fixtures when the client hoped to import them from Italy, as focused on the tiniest details in a chair leg as he is a building exterior.

She’s worked with architects her entire career and has a profound respect for the relationship between architecture and setting.

Their mutual focus and passion for their work, says Kim, is recognized and appreciated by clients who are often repeats, like Chuck, with whom they form personal relationships. That, says Keith, has lead to increased efficiency in their work.

“We go to a different project,” he says, “and we’re approaching it with something we’ve learned from what we’ve done. So we’re always building upon what we’ve done before, but we’re also looking toward something that’s a new vision in a different place. w”

TruexCullins Architecture + Interior Design 209 Battery Street Burlington, VT (802) 658-2775 truexcullins.com 80

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PART Y TIME by susan nye

A Toast to Fall W E L C O M E F R I E N D S W I T H A U T U M N C O C K TA I L S

Should you need one, fall provides plenty of reasons to party. Fall foliage, the harvest moon, and football games come to mind, as well as Halloween, Guy Fawkes Day, and of course Thanksgiving. After a lazy summer filled with last-minute get-togethers, why not take your next party to another level? No, you needn’t insist on black tie—or any tie, for that matter. By all means, keep it casual; just add a touch of elegance to the mix.

At cocktail time, instead of chips and dip straight from the supermarket shelf, whip up one of your favorite hors d’oeuvres to pass around. And what could be more elegant than a special cocktail for your autumn celebration? 4

Three Fabulous Fall Cocktails Apple Cider Sidecar Plum & Stormy Cranberry Bellini

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Apple Cider Sidecar Nothing says elegance like a cocktail invented at the Ritz Hotel in Paris. This version transforms a continental classic into a New England fall favorite. Celebrate the harvest moon or a football victory with a pitcher of Apple Cider Sidecars. ▷ SERVES 1

2

1 oz Calvados or applejack 1 oz Cointreau or Grand Marnier 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Syrup, or to taste (recipe follows) 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice Chilled sparkling water or club soda (optional)

Apple Cider Syrup ▷ M AKES about 2 cups 1 gallon fresh, preservative-free apple cider

Garnish: apple slice

2–3 cinnamon sticks

Combine the Calvados, Cointreau, Apple Cider Syrup, and lemon juice in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass. Add a splash of sparkling water or club soda, garnish with an apple slice, and serve.

1

Pour the cider into a large, heavy-bottomed nonreactive stockpot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 4 hours or until the cider has been reduced to about 2 cups.

2

I n the final 30 to 45 minutes of simmering, add 2 to 3 cinnamon sticks and continue to stir frequently; watch the syrup closely to keep it from scorching.

3

emove the syrup from the heat and cool R to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, cover, and store in the refrigerator.

Apple Cider Sidecars for a Crowd ▷ Serves 10 10 oz Calvados or applejack 10 oz Cointreau or Grand Marnier 5 oz Apple Cider Syrup 5 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

Sparkling water or club soda, chilled (optional)

Garnish: apple slices

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o serve, stir or shake the Sidecars again, T pour into martini glasses, add a splash of sparkling water or club soda, and garnish each one with an apple slice.

ombine the Calvados, Cointreau, Apple C Cider Syrup, and lemon juice in a quart pitcher or Mason jar, and stir or shake to combine. Cover and refrigerate for several hours.

You might want to double the recipe, as Apple Cider Syrup may very well become a favorite fall staple. Also called apple molasses, it’s sweet and tart—and delicious on pancakes or ice cream. It also makes a wonderful glaze for roasted winter squash and a nice addition to a vinaigrette or barbecue sauce.

PLUM & STORMY When the autumn sky turns cold and stormy, turn to a drink that hails from sunny Bermuda.

This fruity version of a Dark & Stormy is the perfect way to enjoy the last of the plum harvest. ▷ SERVES 6 12 ripe plums, halved, pitted, and chopped 1–2 Tbsp brown sugar, or to taste 1 cup dark rum 1⁄2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice Ginger beer, very cold Garnish: lime wedges

1

ut the plums and brown sugar in a bowl, toss to combine, and let sit for 20 to 30 P minutes to release the plums’ juices. Put plums and their juices in a blender, add a little water if necessary, and process until smooth.

2

Strain the plum juice through a fine-mesh sieve. Using a rubber spatula, press down on the remains in the sieve to extract as much juice as possible, and then discard what’s left in the sieve.

3 4

Add the rum and lime juice to the plum juice. Cover and refrigerate until very cold. o serve, fill old-fashioned glasses T with ice, add the rum and juice mixture, top with ginger beer, and garnish with a lime wedge.

When the last of the plums are gone, try a Stormy Orchard. Substitute apple cider for plum juice, skip the lime juice, and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Fall 2014 / Best of Burlington 83

Cranberry Bellini Another continental classic, the first Bellini was sipped at Harry’s Bar in Venice, a fav-orite haunt of Ernest Hemingway, Sinclair Lewis, and Orson Welles. There’s nothing like a few bubbles to create a festive mood. This New England version is the perfect cocktail to serve before your Thanksgiving Day feast! ▷ SERVES 6–8 1½ cups cranberry juice ¾ cup cognac 1 (750-ml) bottle chilled dry Prosecco, champagne, or sparkling wine

Garnish: frozen cranberries

1

ombine the cranberry juice and C cognac and refrigerate until very cold.

2

o serve, put 5 or 6 frozen cranberT ries into each of 6 to 8 champagne flutes. Add about ¼ cup cranberrycognac mix, and slowly top with Prosecco.

Writer and chef Susan Nye lives in New Hampshire and writes for magazines throughout New England. She shares many of her favorite recipes and stories about family, friendship, and food on her blog at www.susannye.wordpress.com.

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special advertising section

Fall 2014 Dining Guide

Guild Tavern Wood-fired grill featuring dry-aged, locally sourced beef, pork, and poultry.

Casual tavern fare, classic steakhouse entrées, seafood and vegetarian options, innovative cocktail program, awardwinning wine list, and weekly specials. $$ 1633 Williston Road South Burlington, VT (802) 497-1207 www.guildandcompany.com

Great places to eat in and around Burlington.

The Spot Enjoy our surf-style ambience and delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner entrées. Conveniently located on Shelburne Road in Burlington. Free parking, free Wi-Fi. $–$$ 210 Shelburne Road Burlington, VT (802) 540-1778 www.thespotvt.com

The Farmhouse Tap & Grill

Key to Symbols $ most entrées under $10 $$ most entrées $10 to $25 $$$ most entrées over $25

Dedicated to showcasing local farms and food producers, our menu features award-winning burgers, comfort entrées, artisan cheeses, vegetarian options, and nightly innovations. The Tap Room delivers highly prized and rare beers. “Special Happenins” Wed nights. $$ 160 Bank Street Burlington, VT (802) 859-0888 www.farmhousetg.com

Fall 2014 / Best of Burlington

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special advertising section

Beyond the Menu

Prohibition Pig Located in Waterbury, the food and beverage crossroads, we feature New England’s largest & best curated selection of craft beer, proper cocktails, and eclectic wines with a full menu featuring barbecue, vegetarian, and cozy American fare. $–$$ 23 South Main Street Waterbury, VT (802) 244-4120 www.prohibitionpig.com

dining guide for burlington and the surrounding area

Guild Fine Meats

Burlington’s neighborhood delicatessen & specialty meat shop. Chef Tom Deckman & Master Butcher Frank Pace transform fine Vermont meats into sausages, deli meats, marinated steaks, trussed chickens, seasoned chops, burgers, & more. Housemade sandwiches & subs, breakfast sandwiches, poutine & fry bar, party platters, & more. $ 111 St. Paul Street Burlington, VT (802) 497-1645 www.guildfinemeats.com

J Morgans Steakhouse Vermont’s cutting-edge steakhouse featuring over 20 steaks aged and hand cut in-house, 12 daily seafood dishes, and an award-winning Sunday brunch.

Located on Montpelier’s historic State Street. $$ 100 State Street Montpelier, VT (802) 223-5222 www.jmorganssteakhouse.com

`

Pauline’s Café Chef owned, featuring American cuisine, from casual to fine dining, local and wild food, and our famous crab cakes! Open seven days for lunch and dinner. Private dining rooms. Open daily.

Lunch, dinner plus Sunday brunch. $–$$ 1834 Shelburne Road South Burlington, VT (802) 862-1081 www.paulinescafe.com

86 www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

Windjammer Restaurant

El Cortijo

Featuring American fare, vegetarian, & gluten-free options, as well as an extensive salad bar. Specialty cocktails, craft beers, & a Wine Spectator wine list complement both the restaurant & pub menus. Supporting VT farms, producers, and businesses since 1977. $–$$

A vibrant atmosphere featuring tacos, soups, salads, & entrées prepared with local ingredients & expressed as tradiional Mexican fare. Fresh-squeezed margaritas & handcrafted cocktails.

Late night menu until 1am, Fridays & Saturdays. $–$$

1076 Williston Road South Burlington, VT (802) 862-6585 www.windjammerrestaurant.com

189 Bank Street Burlington, VT (802) 497-1668 www.CortijoVT.com

Happenings

FALL 2014

Calendar of Events September 22

Tri Minh Quartet MainStage, 8pm

September 24

Pink Martini

MainStage, 7:30pm

FLYNN CENTER FOR THE December 2 PERFORMING ARTS 153 Main Street Burlington, VT Tickets: (802) 863-5966 Info: (802) 652-4500 www.flynncenter.org

October 29

Andy Milne

FlynnSpace, 7:30pm

Mat Fraser & Julie Atlas Muz

November 2

4 4 4

September 13

FlynnSpace, 8pm

October 31 444 Faustin Linyekula

September 24

FlynnSpace, 8pm

MainStage, 7pm

Pink Martini

November 1

November 6

MainStage, 7:30pm

Panaibra Gabriel Canda

FlynnSpace, 7:30pm

September 27

Soovin Kim & Fred Child

Del McCoury Band

Jurij Konjar / Steve Paxton

FlynnSpace, 8pm

FlynnSpace, 8pm October 1

Los Lobos MainStage, 7:30pm October 2

Second City

October 2

Second City

MainStage, 7:30pm

October 18

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet MainStage, 8pm October 24

Marcus Roberts MainStage, 8pm October 30

Sam Green & Yo La Tengo MainStage, 7:30pm

November 7

4 4 4

MainStage, 7:30pm

Howard Fishman FlynnSpace, 8pm November 8

Christopher O’Riley FlynnSpace, 8pm November15

Raphael Xavier FlynnSpace, 8pm

Fall 2014 / Best of Burlington

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HAPPENINGS SHELBURNE FARMS 1611 Harbor Road Shelburne, VT (802) 985-8442 www.shelburnefarms.org Hours: 9am–5:30pm daily

September 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25, 30, October 2, 7, 9, 14, 16

House & Formal Gardens Tea Tour at the Inn 2:30–4:30pm September 6

Wild Mushroom Foray 9am–1pm September 6, 13, 20, 27, October 4, 11, 18, 25

Burlington Farmers’ Market 8:30am–2pm September 6, 13, 20, 27, October 4, 11

Shelburne Farmers’ Market 9am–1pm September 6–7

Landscape and Farm Planning Course with Darren Doherty 9am–5pm September 12 & October 4

Tour Two Great Country Houses: The Brick House and Shelburne House 1–4pm September 20

Shelburne Farms 36th Annual Harvest Festival 10am–4pm

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VERMONT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

September 25–27

The Vermont Traditional Foods and Health Symposium Thu 6:30–9pm; Fri 9am–7pm; Sat 9am–5pm

Made in Vermont Music Festival September 19

Johnson State College, 7:30pm September 20

Vergennes Opera House, 7:30pm September 21

Haskell Opera House, 4pm September 25

Alexander Twilight Theater at Lyndon State College, 7:30pm September 26

Bellows Falls Opera House, 7:30pm

September 27

Chandler Music Hall, 7:30pm September 28

BFA Performing Arts Center, 3pm September 29

Castleton State College, 7:30pm October 18

Haunted Horns: A Brass Quintet Halloween Family Concert McCarthy Arts Center, 11am October 25

Masterworks: Burlington

Flynn Center, 8pm Please check the VSO website at www.vso.org or call (800) VSO-9293, ext. 10 for additional information.

Fall 2014 / Best of Burlington 89

HAPPENINGS

ECHO LAKE AQUARIUM AND SCIENCE CENTER/LEAHY CENTER FOR LAKE CHAMPLAIN 1 College Street, Burlington, VT (877) ECHOFUN, www.echovermont.org September 6–November 28, Saturdays and Sundays

September 30 & October 4

November 4 & 8

Indigenous Peoples Movies

Story Explorers: The Very Quiet Cricket

Story Explorers: A Seed Is Sleepy

10:30am

10:30am

2pm

October 7 & 11

November 11 & 15

September 9 & 13

Story Explorers: Leaf Jumpers

Story Explorers: Round Robin

10:30am

10:30am

10:30am

October 14 & 18

November 18

September 13–January 4

Story Explorers: Trout Are Made of Trees

Story Explorers: Not a Stick

10:30am

10:30am

October 21 & 25

November 18 & 22

Story Explorers: Every Autumn Comes the Bear

ECHO After Dark Café Scientifique Program: Coffee Quality—Farm to Cup

10:30am

6–8pm

October 21

November 25 & 29

ECHO After Dark Café Scientifique Program: Agroecology & Rural Livelihoods

Story Explorers: In November

Story Explorers: Possum’s Harvest Moon

Exhibit: Coffee: The World in Your Cup September 16 & 20

Story Explorers: A Good Day’s Fishing 10:30am September 16

ECHO After Dark Café Scientifique Program: Changes and Opportunities Faced by Small-Scale Coffee Farming Families 6–8pm

6–8pm

September 23 & 27

October 28 & November 1

Story Explorers: Fall Is Here! I Love It! 10:30am

10:30am

Story Explorers: Bats at Night!

10:30am

LIFE AND CULTURE IN THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY

in every issue, you will find...

One Year subscription only $19.95 plus tax (4 issues)

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BEST OF

BURLINGTON

1-800-Got-Junk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 A&N Stoneworks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Acme Glass. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Adirondack Audiology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Ann Roche Casual Furniture . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Aristelle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Athleta. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Bevo Catering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Birdseye Building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Blodgett Bath Showplace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Boutiliers Fine Art Materials & Custom Framing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Boyden Valley Winery & Spirits. . . . . . . . . . 86 Broadleaf Landscape Architecture . . . . . . . 30 Brown & Davis Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Burlington College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Burlington Furniture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Burlington Marble & Granite. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 City Lights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 City Market. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Close to Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Conant Metal & Light. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Contemporary Dental Arts, P.C. . . . . . . . . . 42 Co-op Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Cushman Design Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Cynthia Knauf Landscape Design. . . . . . . . 62 DiStefano Landscaping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 ECCO Clothes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 & 54 Echo Lake Aquarium. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 El Cortijo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Flynn Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Frog Hollow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery. . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Glassworks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Grand Isle Art Works. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Green Pasture Meats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Guild Fine Meats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Guild Tavern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Hannoush Jewelers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Hickock & Boardman. . . . . . . . . . . Back cover Inside Out Gallery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Interior Design by Keeping Good Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 J Morgans Steakhouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Jamie Two Coats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Jay Peak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside back cover Jess Boutique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Kitchens by Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Koenig Cedar Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Lake Champlain Ferries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Landshapes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Liebling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

advertisers inde x Lunaroma. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Lyric Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Mason Brothers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Morse Farm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Old Spokes Home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 PT 360. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Pauline’s Cafe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 & 86 Peregrine Design/Build. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Perrywinkle’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Petra Cliffs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Piecasso. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 PierVana Hair & Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Prohibition Pig. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 & 86 Rags and Riches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Ramsey Gourd Architects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Red House Building. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Rice Memorial High School. . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Rice Lumber Kitchen Design Center. . . . . . 57 Shelburne Meat Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Shelburne Vineyard Winery. . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Sleepy Hollow Inn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Smuggler’s Notch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 South End Kitchen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Spellbound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 SportStyle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Stella Mae. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 & 55 Stern Center for Language and Learning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Sweeney Design Build. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 The Automaster. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 The Craftsmen Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 The Farmhouse Tap & Grill. . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 The Farmhouse Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 The Lighting House. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 The Optical Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 The Spot Restaurant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 & 85 The Woodlands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Timberlane Dental Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Tom Moore Builders . . . . . . Inside front cover University Mall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Vermont Bed Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Vermont Custom Closets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Vermont Energy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Vermont Frame Game. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Vermont Furniture Designs. . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Vermont Icelandic Horse Farm . . . . . . . . . . 54 Vermont Tent Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Wagner Hodgson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Windjammer Restaurant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Window World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Windows & Doors by Brownell. . . . . . . . . . 50 WND & WVS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

For more information about print and online advertising opportunities, contact John or Robin Gales at (802) 295-5295 or email coffeetablepublishing@comcast.net.

Fall 2014 / Best of Burlington

91

BURLINGTON BUZZ

BY MIKE MORIN

A Moment with

Erika Constantine

MARKETING DIRECTOR, BURLINGTON TOWN CENTER

How has last year’s purchase of Burlington Town Center by Devonwood Investors LLC of New York improved the property?

New ownership has brought rejuvenation to the Burlington Town Center, and we’re very optimistic about what the future holds. Leasing continues to be our top priority, and we’re targeting many national brands not currently in Vermont, such as our newest anchor tenant, L.L. Bean, in order to bring a unique shopping experience to downtown Burlington. We’ve also added a Guest Services desk at our Church Street entrance not only to assist our shoppers in the mall but also to act as a concierge for all of downtown.

With L.L. Bean as your latest anchor store, shoppers have a major new incentive to visit BTC. L.L. Bean chose Burlington as its only location in Vermont because of the high volume of catalog and online sales they see from this region, so we certainly think the full-line store will appeal to many area shoppers, whether they’re L.L. Bean loyalists, outdoor enthusiasts, or new to the brand. A grand opening will be held this fall.

Describe the vibe of Church Street shopping on a nice day.

Church Street is always alive, whether it’s a sunny summer day with musicians and performers entertaining the crowds or a crisp winter evening with holiday lights twinkling off the snow. Burlington Town Center is also a great way to beat the winter blues—we like to say, “It’s always 75 and sunny at the mall!”

Burlington Town Center is involved in community causes, such as offering discounts to military families and encouraging eyewear donations for families in need. What else does BTC do?

Our annual partnerships include blood drives with the American Red Cross, Toys for Tots collection drives with the Salvation Army, and fundraising for Vermont Cares through holiday gift-wrapping services.

Our individual merchants are also very involved in philanthropic efforts, such as eyewear donations through Sunglass Hut and Shop for a Cause events at LOFT benefiting St. Jude’s. Giving back is something we all stand behind.

Erika outside the Town Center. She lives in Burlington.

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We’re just months from the busy holiday season. How did you get out and enjoy Vermont this summer?

I spent time soaking up the sun every chance I had by kayaking on Lake Champlain and exploring Vermont’s state parks. I also completed my first hike to the peak of Camel’s Hump and got to take in the spectacular views from the top. w

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