/Best_of_Burlington_Spring_2011

BURLINGTON

BEST OF

SPRING 2011

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

Spring in

VOLUME 4 NO. 2 $4.95

VERMONT

Maple Syrup Goes Modern The Clothes Exchange Burlington Dances

Fall 2010 / Best of Burlington

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Contents F E AT U R E S

28

Brilliant Blooms

Let spring flowers lift your spirits.

by Matthew Mead

54

Burlington Dances

Owner Lucille Dyer inspires Vermonters through movement.

68

by Sarah Tuff

Maple Syrup Goes Modern

Local producers employ new techniques—and keep some old ones.

by Meredith Angwin

About the cover Spring on the UVM campus. Photo by Paul O. Boisvert.

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Winter 2011 / Best of Burlington

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Departments 61

7

Editor’s Note

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Contributors

10 Online Exclusives 12 Gatherings

yo u r l i v i n g s pac e bright bright &&

open living

“The kitchen is the new great room—a very open, very functional space for cooking, dining, entertaining, and watching television,” says Ali White of Becky White’s Kitchens by Design in Georgia, Vermont. “Islands are now spaces where conversations

The Clothes Exchange.

by Sarah Zobel

Pauline’s Café.

by Pat Goudey O’Brien

18 Cooking Healthy

84 Attractions

Spring recipes from Healthy Living Market.

by Nina Lesser-Goldsmith

Vermont Mozart Festival.

by Nancy Humphrey Case

23 Vine to Table

Finding your true wine love.

by Keith O’Gorman

want wide plank floors and cabinets that respect that history.”

Ali continues by saying, “Tile is really huge! It is also very personal. You have so many choices, from intricate floral patterns to small mosaic to subway tiles. The way you lay out your tile can dramatically change the look of your kitchen. For example, if you have shorter than 8-foot ceilings, we like to use tile in a vertical pattern to visually elongate the walls.”

ily meals, and for guests sipping wine when you’re entertaining. Kitchens also have multiple eating spaces.

Beyond the island you may have a banquette with an informal dining space in one part of the room and your more formal dining area in another part. The separate formal dining room is rare.”

sPring 2011

|

86 Happenings A calendar of events.

88 Burlington Buzz A moment with UVM President Daniel Mark Fogel.

by Mike Morin

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Kitchen Style Kitchens are becoming very personalized, and many people have a theme in mind,” Ali says. I have a lot of clients who bring me magazine pages of Tuscan, French Country, and Shaker or farmhouse styles that they want to capture in their new kitchen.

Within these, we are seeing a lot of painted kitchens.

In a Tuscan kitchen you might have cabinets with an Old World look and a distressed painted finish. Someone restoring an old farmhouse may

New England “Living” Show House.

to do homework, for fam-

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which works for the kids

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74 Community Spotlight

almost always has seating,

w w w. b e s t o f b u r l i n g t o n.c o m

by Mark Aiken

Art on display at the Colchester Residence Inn by Marriott.

are happening. The island

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Team in Training.

79 Hot Spot

special advertising section

kitchens & floors

14 Art Scene

22 Tribute

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61 Physical Rx

best of burlington

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Special Section

Trend Watch Local experts share tips on building, remodeling, landscaping, energy efficiency, new materials, and decorating your home.

Winter 2011 / Best of Burlington

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BEST OF

BURLINGTON

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

Robin & John Gales Bob Frisch editor

Deborah Thompson ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Kristy Erickson PROOFREADER

Elaine Ambrose Art direction/Design

CW Design Solutions, Inc. advertising design

Janet Hutchens Design web design

Ryan Frisch advertising

Robin & John Gales Jerry Rafoul Debbie DeCell (802) 295-5292 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, P.O. Box 1460 Quechee, VT 05059. Or e-mail editor@bestofburlingtonvt.com.

Advertising inquires may be made by e-mailing ctpublish ing@comcast.net or coffeetablepublishing@comcast.net.

Best of Burlington is published quarterly by Coffee Table Publishing, LLC Š, 2011. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. Best of Burlington accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, or photographs.

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Editor’s Note THE PROMISE OF SPRING

S

pring is coming—it really is. I keep repeating this mantra to convince myself it is true. As I write this note, it’s early February, and it’s difficult to imagine spring as I look out the window over my desk and marvel at the four-foot-long icicle hanging precariously off the corner of my roof. It’s got to be at least eight inches in diameter!

Luckily for me, distractions like the massive icicle and the matching four-foot-high snowbank beside my driveway are being replaced by visions of spring. Because I have the privilege of putting this magazine together, I’ve spent the last several weeks enjoying beautiful springtime photography by Matthew Mead, who suggests several ways to brighten your home by displaying colorful flowers in imaginative ways (page 28).

Nothing says spring in Vermont like maple sugaring. Join us as we pay a visit to Cody L’Esperance, a young man who explains how making syrup combines age-old techniques with modern technology (page 68). From the woods we head indoors to discover the beautiful studio Lucille Dyer has created at Burlington Dances. Lucille and her skilled staff inspire area residents to get moving with a variety of programs from ballet to Zumba™ (page 54).

Join the fun at the next event of The Clothes Exchange on May 18 and 19 at the Sheraton. You’ll enjoy shopping with friends while raising money for a good cause (page 74). Speaking of good causes, you’ll want to read about Burlington’s Team in Training, a group of runners of all ages and skill levels (page 61). Organizer Jan Leja has been running every Sunday for 13 years to raise money to fight cancer, and many have joined him in his fundraising efforts.

Be sure to visit us online at www.bestofburlingtonvt.com for special articles and to view the digital edition of the magazine. Whatever you’re doing this spring, we invite you to spend some time with Best of Burlington. Enjoy!

Deborah Thompson Editor editor@bestofburlingtonvt.com

What are your favorite days of spring? Send us your photos and we’ll select our favorites to publish in the magazine and on our website. E-mail them to editor@bestofburlingtonvt.com.

Spring 2011 / Best of Burlington

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C o n tr i butors Mark Aiken

Mark is a frequent contributor to magazines throughout New England. A travel writer who specializes in outdoor living, recreational pursuits, and all topics in between, Mark lives with his wife in Richmond, Vermont. When he’s not writing, he teaches skiing at Stowe, trains for marathons, plays pickup hockey, and plans bigger and better vacations.

Mary Gow

Mary holds the middle place in a family with three generations of women writers. Best known for her award-winning history of science books for middle school students, she is also a regular contributor to regional magazines. Her latest book, The Great Thinker: Aristotle and the Foundations of Science, was released in September 2010. She lives in Warren, Vermont.

Pat Goudey O’Brien

Pat is a writer, freelance editor, and publishing consultant who has been working in the industry for nearly 40 years. She writes for several Vermont publications, edits and consults on the work of others, and owns a small publishing company in Warren, The Tamarac Press. Pat is a longtime member of the League of Vermont Writers and is now in her third year as president of the organization.

Sarah Tuff

Sarah writes on health, fitness, travel, and more for a variety of regional and national publications. She lives with her husband, Carlton Dunn, and their two young children in Shelburne, Vermont.

Sarah Zobel

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

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Winter 2011 / Best of Burlington

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Splash into Spring!

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Boutiliers Art Center Brandthropology, Inc. Marketing Firm Century 21 Jack Associates Realtors City Market/Onion River Coop Cynthia Knauf Landscape Design, Inc. Design Matters Evolution Physical Therapy, Yoga & Massage Fresh Market and Cheese Outlet Green Tree Real Estate Interior Design by Keeping Good Company Klinger’s Bread Company MD Cosmetic Laser & Botox Nort beautiful kitchen h Country Tile Peregrine Construction Redstone Commercial Real Estate Shelburne Farms

Gatherings

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ENJOYING EVENTS AROUND TOWN

A large and enthusiastic crowd enjoyed the Wine Fest at Shelburne Vineyard.

Many area residents gathered to celebrate Oktoberfest at the Farmhouse Tap & Grill.

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

Winter Fall 2010 2011 // Best of Burlington

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art scene sponsored by V ON BAR G EN ’ S J E W E L RY Photos by andy duback

Residence Inn Features Local Art Nature photography graces hotel’s walls The Residence Inn by Marriott in Colchester, Vermont, held its grand opening celebration in November, and guests in attendance were delighted not only with the new hotel but also with stunning displays of local art throughout the facility.

Approached by the Residence Inn to provide original photography and a fresh look for the new hotel in Colchester, Bill and Benedicte Dodge of Silver Maple Editions turned to their own creative offspring, Dodge Studio Arts. Showcasing the Dodges’ award-winning photography along with Silver Maple’s unique, glass-free lamination-and-wood mounting system, Dodge Studio Arts furnished the lobby and all four floors of the new Residence Inn with a vibrant gallery of Vermont images.

The Dodges collaborated on the project with Sharon McDonnell’s Mother-Daughter Press, another Vermont-grown company inspired by the creative legacy of Gay McDonnell Bumgarner, an award-winning landscape designer, naturalist, and internationally acclaimed photographer.

The Dodges and McDonnell say they were impressed with the willingness of the new Residence Inn owners to think outside the box by introducing local Vermont art, as well as a contemporary framing look, to the chain’s Colchester hotel. 4 Top row, from left: Tim Armstrong, Residence Inn general manager. Triptych featuring “Leaf Bloom” by Bill Dodge, “Caterpillar” by Gay Bumgarner, “Fall Berries” by Bill Dodge. “Two Chairs in Rising Mist” by Gay Bumgarner.

Middle row, from left: “Stone Wall with Fall Foliage” by Gay Bumgarner. “Autumn Blaze” by Gay Bumgarner. Silver Maple owner and photographer Bill Dodge standing next to his original mural, created for the Registration Desk area.

Bottom row, from left: A group gathers for the grand opening. Benedicte Dodge (left) and Bill Dodge (right) chat with a guest. Friends meet at the grand opening.

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Spring 2011 / Best of Burlington

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RESIDENCE INN BY MARRIOTT The hotel is located six miles from the Burlington International Airport and 10 minutes from downtown Burlington.

The 108-suite hotel officially opened for business on September 14, 2010.

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Above: The Residence Inn. Left: Even the exercise room features art.

ABOUT SILVER MAPLE Silver Maple, a Vermontgrown art print gallery and lamination/mounting business founded by Bill and Benedicte Dodge, first opened its doors in downtown Burlington in 1999.

SILVER MAPLE EDITIONS 129 Saint Paul Street Burlington, VT 05401-8411 (802) 865-0133

RESIDENCE INN BURLINGTON COLCHESTER 71 Rathe Road Colchester, VT (802) 655-3100 Spring 2011 / Best of Burlington

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CO O K I N G H E A LT H Y b y nina le s s e r - gol d s m ith p hoto s b y z acha r y m inot

Welcome Spring!

C E L E B R AT E L O C A L FA R M - F R E S H I N G R E D I E N T S

Farewell snow and welcome spring! Mud season is behind us, the trees are budded up, the air is warming, and it’s time to get out on the farm. There are signs everywhere that the growing season is ramping up for some seriously good ingredients to work with. My creative juices start to really flow when I see the first deliveries of springtime ingredients coming through the receiving doors at Healthy Living. Spring veggies, wild-crafted mushrooms, new batches of artisan cheeses, and so much more make me remember why I choose to make food my business!

I especially love the return of pastured farm eggs, their yolks all pumpkin orange and so firm you can barely break them. Healthy Living butcher Frank Pace knows spring is in the air when farmers start offering their first-of-the-season pas18

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tured lamb. “I love the energy of spring,” Frank says. “We start the garden, baby piglets arrive to go on pasture. Local lamb is a great harbinger of spring because they are the first animals we see out in the fields and the first product we see coming

into the meat department. I always serve lamb with pheasant back mushrooms, spring garlic, and fiddleheads. In the meat department we make Lamb Merguez Sausage with local spring garlic, a classic sign of springtime in Vermont.”

Frank’s Lamb Merguez Sausage with Spring Garlic 1-1⁄2 lb ground lamb 3 Tbsp Kosher salt 3 Tbsp white sugar 3 tsp ground black pepper 3 tsp crushed red pepper flakes 2 Tbsp finely chopped spring garlic 1 ⁄4 bunch parsley, chopped 1 ⁄4 bunch mint, chopped 1 ⁄4 bunch thyme, leaves picked and chopped

1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Using your hands, mix the meat together with all the other ingredients until the mixture is even. It is important to work swiftly and to not overmix the meat; this will ensure that the fat does not start to render into the meat.

2. Form the sausage mixture into patties, or load it into a sausage stuffer to make links.

Lamb Sausage Hash Hash is my favorite way to enjoy leftovers.

Meat cooked the night before can be reinvented with this classic preparation. Lamb sausage hash can use either leftover cooked sausage or fresh sausage. Perfect with an egg on top!

2 diced potatoes (Yukon gold or another medium-starch potato is best) 2 Tbsp Kosher salt 2–3 Tbsp butter 3 ⁄4 lb lamb sausage, removed from casings, or leftover cooked sausage 1 small yellow onion, finely diced Kosher salt and fresh-cracked black pepper 2 Tbsp chopped parsley

1. Place the potatoes in a small pot and cover them with cold water and the 2 tablespoons salt. Place them over high heat and bring them to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.

Drain and set aside.

2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. If you are using fresh sausage, begin by adding the sausage and letting it brown nicely in the pan.

Use a wooden spoon to break the sau-

sage apart into small pieces. If you are using leftover sausage, begin by adding the onions. Add the onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until they are soft and fragrant. (Add cooked sausage here.)

Add the potatoes. Spread the mixture evenly in the pan and let it brown on one side (about 3 to 4 minutes without disturbing); turn with a spatula and

brown the other side (it is okay if it breaks apart). Continue turning until most of the meat and potatoes are well browned. Drain off any excess fat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with fresh parsley. Great with fried or poached eggs on top.

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Lamb Sausage and Farm Egg Sandwich The key to the perfect breakfast sandwich is the ingredients. A perfect egg, high-quality meat, and fresh bread are the ingredients you’re after!

That’s why this sandwich is our favorite.

Makes 2 sandwiches 2 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil 2 lamb sausage patties 2 Tbsp butter 4 eggs Kosher salt and fresh-cracked black pepper 2 Challah or Portuguese sweet rolls (or an English muffin–style roll), split and toasted or griddled in a pan with butter

1. In a large skillet (we love to use a cast-iron skillet), add the oil over high heat. When the oil is hot, carefully put the sausage patties in the pan. Allow for the patties to brown nicely before flipping. Cook them about 3 minutes on each side until just cooked through and nicely brown on the outside. Transfer them to a board to rest while you cook your eggs.

2. In a nonstick pan over medium heat, melt half the butter. When the butter bubbles, crack 2 eggs into the pan. It is important to keep the heat low and to not move your egg around too much. When the white of the egg is nearly cooked through, flip the egg and cook one minute longer. Season the egg with salt and pepper and transfer it to one half of the toasted bun. Repeat with remaining butter and the other 2 eggs for the second sandwich. Top the bun and egg with the cooked sausage and the top half of the bun. Serve immediately.

Nina Lesser-Goldsmith is the Food Education Coordinator at Healthy Living Natural Foods Market. Come and join Nina for a cooking class in the new Healthy Living Learning Center. Classes are available for all ages, skill levels, and interests. For information, visit www.healthyliving market.com/learning-center.

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TRIBUTE

by NANCY HUMPHREY CASE

Vermont Mozart Festival echoes in our mist A crowd enjoys the Vermont Mozart Festival concert at Trapps’ Meadow in Stowe last August. Photo by Orah Moore.

S

itting barefoot on a blanket in Trapps’ meadow in Stowe last summer, drinking in a performance of Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring, I was blissfully unaware that this would be the last time I’d attend a concert of the Vermont Mozart Festival. Conductor Damon Gupton introduced the ballet score with a heartfelt confession that it was for him “one of the most beautiful pieces of American classical music.” When he lifted his baton, the music came to life. The sounds of a mountain spring cascaded through the air as the sun went down, and the orchestra’s tent glowed against the dark shapes of the mountains.

Toward the end, held between the first star in the pale sky and the cello’s rich depths, I felt the tenderness that must have been resonating in Gupton’s soul at that moment.

It was profoundly reassuring.

That such sublimity should fall prey to economics seems ludicrous, but in January the Vermont Mozart Festival disbanded after 37 years of programming because of severe financial straits. While fundraising efforts were met with enthusiastic response from the community, ticket sales steadily declined.

This loss has left a lot of people reflecting on the value of the arts.

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A Special Experience Richard Parlato, for one. He was involved with VMF for 36 years and fought in the trenches toward the end as the board’s president. “People who aren’t supporters see it as just another business deal,” he says. “But culture is not a profit center,” he says. “It’s what gives society a sense of worth.” He notes that the VMF brought to Vermont culture a level of sophistication that attracted people to the state.

One concertgoer told Tim Riddle, the festival’s executive director since 2007, that the three hours he spent listening to VMF concerts were the three most important hours of his year. “He has a high-pressure job and found those moments rejuvenating,” Riddle says.

Settings for the concerts, notably Trapps’ Meadow and Shelburne Farms, were considered some of the best in the world, and took all the stuffiness out of classical concert-going. Musical harmonies blended with balmy air, the swoop of birds’ wings, and pink-tinted clouds drifting across the sky, and made the elegant music as real and natural as life itself.

“But when you can get music for 99 cents on iTunes, are you going to spend $35 to listen to an orchestra, even if the setting is

spectacular?” Riddle asks. “For some people, the answer is no. But what people will never get electronically is the experience of seeing an orchestra work together—to see what it means to make music. Unless you’ve sat there and watched the musicians’ faces and seen their hands, and seen what the music means to them and to the conductor, you’ll never understand what it could mean to you.”

Looking to the Future His words take me back to the festival’s opening concert at Shelburne Farms last summer, when Jean-Claude Pennetier played Chopin’s Concerto No. 2 in F minor not 35 feet from where I sat. Pennetier’s deliberate, masterful touch on the keys—the culmination of a lifetime of dedication to his art— carried the melodies transparently from his heart to mine.

It’s an experience arts leaders in the community are not content to let slip away.

“There are a lot of conversations going on— brainstorms,” says Rosalyn Graham of Shelburne Farms. Although no new concerts are planned at Shelburne Farms this summer, ideas are brewing. Tim Riddle applauds such a response but warns, “Arts organizations are going to need more and more community support to survive.”

A Wine Lover’sJourney

v in e to ta b l e b y K EIT H O ’ G O R M AN BEL C ANTO W INE

finding your true wine love Wine is a lifelong love affair filled with delightful surprises, bitter disappointments, and magical moments that resonate in our memories for the rest of our days. Our wine journeys take us far and wide to all ends of the earth seeking out the very finest bottles and vintages

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from the very best producers.

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Every wine lover is on a journey of his own, discovering what grapes he likes or which country’s wine he favors over the other. I have noticed how my palate has changed over the years, from when I first fell in love with wine and took to Australian Shiraz as my first favorite varietal. I bounced around from region to region like all beginners, trying this wine and that—everything from California to France, Washington to Argentina, and Germany to Chile—but it was Italy that would be my final wine destination, and it is where I have been fixed ever since.

Flavorful, Elegant Grapes When I first discovered wine, I was told that a wine enthusiast’s path begins with sweet and fruity wines and ends with dry and earthy ones as the palate evolves. Aficionados who get serious about wine tend to fall in love with Bordeaux and then eventually end up in one of two final destinations, choosing what will forever be their one true wine love—Pinot Noir from Burgundy or Nebbiolo from Barolo.

The Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir grapes have a mystique in the wine world that seems to cast a spell on those who drink them. Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir are similar on the vine and in the glass in many ways and can parallel each other in style and elegance. Both are thin-skinned grapes that produce light-colored wines that are focused and intense. When described, their flavor profiles sound very similar in style, yet their tastes, texture, and body are completely different. Wines of both grapes comprise the world’s most collectable and expensive bottles, heralded as the finest wines one will ever experience.

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Recommended Nebbiolo-Based Wines 2004 Domenico Clerico Ciabot Mentin Ginestra Barolo ($119.99) Domenico Clerico is consistently regarded as one of the top producers in Piedmont, and his single-vineyard Barolos are minimally allocated, very collectable, and utterly intoxicating in every sense of the word. Though expensive, they are well worth the money.

2007 Rivetto Ce’ Vannin Barbaresco ($32.99) The Rivetto family began making wine in 1902 and is now in its fifth generation of family winemakers. Allesandro and Erico Rivetto have taken the helm at the family business and are responsible for making some of the best affordable Barolos, Barbaresco, and Langhe Nebbiolos that Italy has to offer. Their Ce’ Vannin Barbaresco is amazingly undervalued and an exceptional wine.

2005 Bianco Aldo Langhe Nebbiolo ($26.99) Aldo Bianco is an elderly winemaker and produces only a handful of wines with minimal allocation. Bianco is more known for his Barbaresco production, and his vineyards neighbor those of the famed Angelo Gaja. Bianco’s Langhe Nebbiolo is wonderfully rich in flavor and body and is the best value in all of Piedmont, as far as Nebbiolo is concerned. This is a good place to start when trying Nebbiolo.

Recommended Pinot Noir Wines

Pinot Noir is divided into two styles: New World and Old World. Pinot Noir is being grown all over the globe and is prominent in California, Oregon, New Zealand, Chile, Austria, Germany, and Italy. However, its true home and place of belonging is in the Côte d’Or of Burgundy, France. All Pinot Noir made elsewhere can be considered New World in style, which produces fuller-bodied and fruit-forward wines with fragrances that leap from the glass in what can be described as sweet aromas of juicy red fruits, toast, sandalwood, and earth.

Old World Pinots are lighter in body with subtler, intricate flavors and aromas that greatly evolve and improve over time. Burgundian wines are earthier on the nose and palate with flavors and aromas of tart cherries and red berry fruits, mushrooms, wet underbrush, and smoke.

Navigating the wines of Burgundy can be quite difficult and intimidating for those looking to explore their wines. The price tag associated with Burgundy is often dissuasive to consumers, as are the convoluted and hard-to-read labels appearing on the bottles. However, good

2006 Domaine Gachot Monot Bourgogne Rouge ($26.99) One of the best values in Burgundy, this wine is from a small family-run estate making Pinot Noir from three communes: Corgoloin, Comblanchien, and Nuits-StGeorges. The Bourgogne Rouge is their entry-level Pinot, which is a wonderful wine true to its Burgundian terroir.

This wine features more earthy flavors and aromas and is an excellent introduction to what Burgundy is all about.

This is France in a bottle.

Spring 2011 / Best of Burlington

Creatas and stockbyte

Pinot Noir

2008 Fulcrum Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($46.99) Winemaker David Rossi is passionate about Pinot Noir, and that passion resonates in his wines. Rossi produces only four wines, all Pinots, and all are classic examples of California Pinot Noir. The Fulcrum Russian River Valley Pinot is nothing short of perfection: powerful aromas and captivating flavors that are purely hedonistic and transcendent with a haunting finish.

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Burgundies are to be treasured, as are good domestic Pinots, and putting the effort into deciphering the bottles and learning the region will be well worth the effort.

Nebbiolo hails from the northwest region of Italy in Piedmont, which means “foot of the mountain.” Unlike Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo is not a good traveler and fails to produce a quaffable wine outside of its home in Italy. Efforts have been made to grow Nebbiolo elsewhere in the world, most notably California, but this has been done with little success.

The town of Barolo is where Nebbiolo is the most fascinating and admired. Nebbiolo is popularly described as “the wine of kings and the king of wines,” and anyone who has had one would easily agree.

Though Barolo is held in the highest esteem as the best region for Nebbiolo, Barbaresco, a neighboring commune, is just as wonderful a place to explore when experimenting with this varietal. You will find these wines at a slightly lower price point than that of Barolo, and Barbarescos are often described as more feminine and approachable in their youth than Barolo.

The very best values and drinkable Nebbiolo wines are found in the larger, less regionalized area of the Langhe, which encompasses both Barolo and Barbaresco. To put it in context of everyday life, consider the Langhe region as the equivalent of Chittenden County; a larger geographical area encompasses smaller geographical areas or towns. Langhe Nebbiolo is less expensive and is made in a style that is more acces26

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Goodshoot

Nebbiolo

sible for immediate drinking, whereas Barolos and Barbarescos are at their best when they are left to age. Nebbiolo of the Langhe is more suitable for those seeking softer, drink-it-now styled wines.

Like Burgundy, Barolo and Barbarescos can be intimidating and confusing to new wine drinkers as well. Producers’ names, vineyards’ names, and regional information is printed on the label, leaving novice consumers confused about what’s actually inside the bottle. Taking the time to learn more about the region, its history, and the amazing winemaking families behind the bottles is truly its own reward, in addition to drinking the wines.

Nebbiolo is one of the most unique and distinctive grape varietals on earth. Its flavor profile and bouquet is vast, ranging from cherries and cranberry fruit with overtones of fresh tobacco, camphor, and herbs when young. An aged Barolo has aromas and flavors of an earthier quality with hints of wet forest floor, truffles, dried roses, tar, mushrooms, and plum skin. Either way you choose, aged or young, there is no wrong way to enjoy these wines.

Once you tread down the path leading to Burgundy and Barolo and taste what are arguably the best wines in the world, take note that you may be embarking on what can easily become an obsessive, allconsuming, and expensive hobby. As for everyone else, wherever you may find yourself on your wine journey, I hope that it has been filled with as many wonderful memories and occasions as mine has—being seduced by extraordinary bottles, sharing unforgettable moments with exceptional people, and every once in a while, finding a little sense of adventure.

Cent’anni and cheers to your adventure!

Bel Canto Wine Maple Tree Place Williston, VT 05495 (802) 879-9111 www.belcantowine.com

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b u t t e r’ s

Brilliant

blooms

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Supermarket blooms make a simple but elegant statement. Pick up a plant or a bouquet and put some spring in your

SPIRIT.

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A chamomile plant (opposite) in a vintage egg cup makes a charming mini arrangement.

Daffodils burst forth in a piece of colorful pottery.

Produced, photographed, and written by Matthew Mead, www.matthewmeadstyle.com.

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A hydrangea plant in several colors is stunning in an ironstone vessel. With proper watering, you can enjoy its blooms for many weeks.

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Create a pretty arrangement that’s perfect for a spring brunch or bridal shower. Fill a glass bowl with lemons, then water and tuck in pansy blooms.

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b u t t e r’ s

Float pansy blossoms in glass candleholders filled with water. Position one at each place setting or dot the center of your dining table.

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Violets or violas are ideal for mini arrangements.

Send the kids to pick them from your yard and give them tiny vessels for making their own still lifes.

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special advertising section

trend watch Text by Mary Gow

Construct, Renovate & Revitalize

yo u r l i v i n g s pac e

Changing lifestyles call for changing homes.

Spring 2011 / Best of Burlington courtesy of cynthia knauf landscape design

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s p ecial advertising section

landscaping & outdoor spaces

yo u r l i v i n g s pac e fresh &

TRanquil

W

hether it’s due to the economic challenges of the past few years or it’s simply a nod toward comfort and convenience, families are staying home more than they used to. This nationwide trend means homeowners are investing to make their living spaces more functional, more beautiful, and—quite simply— more fun.

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Indoor living is moving out as boundaries between indoor and outdoor life are changing.

Well-appointed outdoor kitchens bring alfresco meal preparation and dining together. Beyond fabulous grills, outdoor kitchens feature refrigerators, sinks, even espresso machines and pizza ovens.

From a morning cup of coffee to a gracious dinner party, outdoor meals are becoming part of daily life.

s p e cial advertising section

Opposite page: Stainless steel spa

by Cynthia Knauf Landscape Design. Top: Well-equipped outdoor kitchen. Natural fire pit

by Landshapes.

Right and bottom: Vermont views by Cynthia Knauf Landscape Design.

land shades

let there be fire “Our clients want to embrace their outdoor space. We are installing a lot of fire pits. Some are formal fire rings and others incorporate boulders for seating, creating a very natural setting. We have also installed formal outdoor fireplaces at several homes. Both the fireplace and fire pit let you expand your indoor life into the outdoors.�

Marie P. Limoge, Landshapes, landscape designer/architect.

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landscaping & outdoor spaces

yo u r l i v i n g s pac e

B

etween indoors and out, sunrooms are not just for summer anymore. “Sunrooms today can be either uninsulated three-season rooms or insulated extendedseason rooms that can be used year-round,” says Elizabeth Warren of Otter Creek Awnings in Williston.

New window technology and efficient design also contribute to extending a sunroom’s use time.

Otter Creek Awnings Otter Creek Awnings

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Go Native Trends in landscape design are bringing homeowners and their guests outdoors.

Landscapes are becoming even greener and more sustainable with greater awareness and use of native stone and vegetation. Fieldstone and New England granite are beautiful and at home in our region, and they do not require the fuel consumption of stone shipped from overseas. Maples, blueberries, cattails, and other indigenous species thrive here naturally and have fewer maintenance and disease issues than imported exotics.

local is best “Local seems to be the trend, not just with food stores and restaurants, but also in landscape architecture. It’s exciting that each year more Vermont clients are requesting the use of local construction materials, craftsmanship, and plants.”

Cynthia Knauf, Cynthia Knauf Landscape Design, Winooski, VT. Courtesy of Cynthia Knauf Landscape

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kitchens & floors

yo u r l i v i n g s pac e bright &

open living

“The kitchen is the new great room—a very open, very functional space for cooking, dining, entertaining, and watching television,” says Ali White of Becky White’s Kitchens by Design in Georgia, Vermont. “Islands are now spaces where conversations are happening. The island almost always has seating, which works for the kids to do homework, for family meals, and for guests sipping wine when you’re entertaining. Kitchens also have multiple eating spaces.

Beyond the island you may have a banquette with an informal dining space in one part of the room and your more formal dining area in another part. The separate formal dining room is rare.”

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Kitchen Style “Kitchens are becoming very personalized, and many people have a theme in mind,” Ali says. “I have a lot of clients who bring me magazine pages of Tuscan, French Country, and Shaker or farmhouse styles that they want to capture in their new kitchen.

Within these, we are seeing a lot of painted kitchens.

In a Tuscan kitchen you might have cabinets with an Old World look and a distressed painted finish. Someone restoring an old farmhouse may

want wide plank floors and cabinets that respect that history.”

Ali continues, “Tile is really huge!

It is also very personal. You have so many choices, from intricate floral patterns to small mosaic to subway tiles. The way you lay out your tile can dramatically change the look of your kitchen. For example, if you have shorter than 8-foot ceilings, we like to use tile in a vertical pattern to visually elongate the walls.”

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building and remodeling

yo u r l i v i n g s pac e efficient &

energizing

W

hether you’re building a new home from the ground up or remodeling your existing space, local contractors can guide you to making smart choices. They’re familiar with all the latest materials, technology, and energy-efficient options available today.

“We build Green Certified Five Star homes, certified by the National Association of Home Builders,” says Chris Snyder of Snyder Homes.

“We’re installing building products with a systematic approach that makes our homes more efficient and minimizes their impact on the environment.”

THINK LONG TERM

“Homes today have more open spaces or so-called flex spaces. We are building fewer homes with both a living room and dining room,” says Chris Snyder.

“People are living in their homes longer and are personalizing them more. They are investing in kitchens with custom cabinetry, granite countertops, and higher quality ranges to suit their taste and style.”

Chris Snyder, Snyder Homes, Shelburne, VT Three smaller photos courtesy of Snyder Homes.

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Home-Buying Decisions

room. you may want to design it even

house we have two backup systems: one

Things are changing in the 21st

with doorways sized for wheelchair ac-

can run the entire house on a generator,

century, and homeowners want

cessibility and a nearby bathroom that

the second just runs essential systems

a combination of convenience,

can be adapted to changing needs.”

on batteries.”

comfort, and quality while being

Backup systems. “In recent years we are

Two home offices. “Both people in a

ever mindful of the impact their

having more blackouts and power inter-

couple need workspace.”

choices have on the environment.

ruptions. We’re finding more and more

Home gym. “Many people want some

“People are making home-buying

people want backup systems to run

workout area in the home so they don’t

decisions based on lifestyle,” says

the home when the power is out. In my

have to go out to the gym to exercise.”

Chris Snyder. “For example, people want to live in town to be closer to stores and shopping, and within walking distance of village centers. We are also seeing individuals downsizing to smaller homes with grounds that are easier to maintain. In one of our single family–home neighborhoods, homeowners have the option of services to include plowing, shoveling, and mowing.”

Construction Trends Builder Tom Moore of Underhill Center, Vermont, says he is incorporating these most-askedfor features in home design and construction: Open floor plans with attention to natural lighting. “People like open spaces, not so many walls creating separate rooms. With the house oriented to the south and proper window placement you can maximize natural lighting.”

Computer-controlled environments. “My house is wired so I can control the temperature, lighting, and security system from my phone or computer. I can be anywhere in the world and control those systems.”

Universal design. “If you build today with a plan for adapting in the future, you can be prepared for your family’s changing use of the house. For example, a room on the ground floor may be a home office or family room at first, but later it may become an accessible bed-

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special advertising section

building and remodeling

yo u r l i v i n g s pac e

saving energy “More and more people are interested in optimizing the siting and efficiency of their homes.”

Tom Moore, Tom Moore Builders, Underhill Center, VT

The Vermont Way Mark Stephenson of Vermont Energy in Williston says, “Conservation is a basic Vermont core value from way back and you find it in people today. Conservation is not an aesthetic trend in terms of what something looks like, but it is a trend in terms of how things work for your comfort and long-term value. People are investing in appliances and systems that

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s p e c i al advertising section

do more for less.” Mark brings us up

How smart are your home heating and

at 50 degrees. Now systems are

to date on the latest options.

hot water systems? It may be time to up-

smarter. A new boiler has a remote

Tired of sweating it out during sum-

grade, according to Mark, who explains,

sensor that measures the outdoor

“Another recent trend is the application

temperature then gives feedback on

of logic to home systems. It used to be

how much heat is needed. Making

that a boiler was set to turn on the same

smarter appliances equals gains in

for the coldest day of the year and a day

comfort and savings.”

mer’s heat and humidity? “Ductless air conditioning is making big inroads in Vermont,” according to Mark. “A lot of people have endured hot summers with noisy window units and lots of fans. There are a lot of options in the new ductless air conditioning systems that are super quiet and energy efficient. They can really increase comfort and quality of life and add to a home’s value.”

Mark knows about saving money, a topic of interest to every homeowner.

“People are thinking more about water conservation,” he reports. “Whether your water is metered or you have your own well, it can cost a lot. New toilets, faucets, showerheads, and appliances work well but with a lot less water.”

Have you ever stepped into the shower only to have the water turn icy cold within two or three minutes?

Mark has a solution. “Tankless water heaters today are extremely reliable,” he explains, “and the temperatures don’t fluctuate, even when several showers are running at the same time. They are adaptable products that deliver real energy savings.”

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s p e cial advertising section

windows & doors

yo u r l i v i n g s pac e smart choices Homeowners are always looking for ways to heat and cool their homes without breaking the bank on energy bills. When shopping for replacement windows and doors, look for the ENERGY STAR® label, which means you’ll save on heating and cooling costs and create a comfortable home year-round.

ENERGY STAR qualified windows and doors also deliver more comfort, create less condensation, and protect your valuables from sun damage better than conventional clear-glass double-paned alternatives.

d i d yo u know?

The average family spends $2,200 a year on energy bills, nearly half of which goes to heating and cooling.

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s p ecial advertising section

tiles & mosaics

yo u r l i v i n g s pac e texture &

Photos courtesy of North Country Tile

inspiration

TILE FOREVER Beautiful tile and mosaics have been around since ancient times, and today the classic look of tile is more popular than ever. Gayle Critchlow Gardner, owner of North Country Tile in Williston, fills us in on everything that’s going on with this versatile material. soothing colors “The New England market is more conservative and traditional than some urban areas,” says Gayle. “We see a lot of off whites and whites, soft greens, and blues rather than bold colors. We also see that people prefer a cleaner appearance rather than something busy.”

Gayle continues, “For the bathroom, people want to walk in and have a calm and soothing environment. We see a

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tiles & mosaics

yo u r l i v i n g s pac e

lot of whites and creams and beach glass—soft green and soft blue—in bathrooms. With a traditional or contemporary look that’s very clean, people can accessorize with cheerful or bold accents—towels, shower curtain, and art.”

Looking for something out of the ordinary? Gayle suggests, “You can always infuse a little artistry in a contemporary room: little accent colors, something that gives that ‘Wow!’ factor, a surprise that works. For example, basic subway tile, threeby-six-inches, has been around forever. If you lay it vertically rather than horizontally you see something a little different.”

Photos courtesy of North Country Tile

Easy-Care Options “We are seeing larger format tiles and products,” Gayle says.

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long-lasting tile According to a recent study of flooring durability, ceramic tile has an expected life span of 50 years— the same as natural hardwood.

Compare that with carpet at six years and sheet vinyl at 10 years.

“They are cleaner and simpler.

People also want products that are maintenance free and last a long time. In the past we used to sell a lot of slate, local and from Asia. Natural stone requires maintenance. Now more manufacturers are producing materials that look just like stone but require minimal maintenance.”

PROTECTING THE PLANET People are concerned about green products, “so in the tile business there’s been a sincere effort to use renewable and reusable materials and environmentally friendly manufacturing techniques,” says Gayle.

“Green and sustainable practices have been a focus of the tile industry for a long time. In tile manufacturing, factories recycle materials and have increased their air quality protection dealing with the kilns and off gasses,” she explains.

Gayle’s final bit of advice: “Your floor is the canvas you use to start your room. From there you build everything up. Use something very attractive and durable.”

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interior distinction

yo u r l i v i n g s pac e classic &

unique

“With the world still in turmoil and the economy the way it is people are striving for balance and order in their lives,” explains Annette. “This has

Courtesy of Design Matters

Annette Besaw of Design Matters in South Burlington shares her views on 2011 decorating trends and why they are coming about.

think color “Along with primary hues, we will continue to see turquoise and purple, which have proven to be very popular in Vermont over the last year.”

Annette Besaw, Design Matters, South Burlington, VT

led both manufacturers and buyers to pull back to basic lifestyles and values.”

Annette believes that two different themes will be strong in 2011. “The first will be related to nature and farming,” she says. “Colors of vegetables with vibrant hues will be offset with neutrals like the color of hay, grains, and bark. Country prints are on their way back in, like gingham checks and 50

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plaids. We will be seeing a lot of furniture and mirrors wrapped in ropes or macramé. Wood tones will be grayed in color and combined with whitewashed finishes.”

Annette continues, “The second theme will relate to primary hues that provide contrast and inspiration.

Fantasy and whimsy will take hold and relate to feelings of escaping the world’s troubles.

An example of this is black combined with bright shades of pink, green, and orange.

Mottos like ‘old is new again’ and ‘less is more’ will remain in 2011.”

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interior distinction

yo u r l i v i n g s pac e Window Treatments From energy-efficient cellular and Roman shades, eco-friendly bamboo shades and blinds, or flowing draperies, quality window treatments add beauty to any room.

Gordon Clements, owner of Gordon’s Window Decor in Essex Junction, says, “The roll that window treatments play in a home has become more significant since the fall of the housing market in 2008. Customers are now keeping their homes for much longer so the consideration paid to items like window treatments has become more important.”

Practicality “Customers understand that half of their energy budget is wasted out windows,” Gordon says. “Products like EcoSmart Insulating Shades more than double the insulating power of windows.” According to Gordon and his daughter, Kelly Conklin, the shades deliver a return on investment of perhaps 20 percent per year.

Technology Looking for convenience? Try motorized window treatments. “Shades, blinds, or draperies can be activated by remotes, timers, sun sensors, or even an iPhone,” says Gordon. “We are not far away from the ability to activate your shades according to the energy demand.”

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Burlington Dances In a class called “Core Restore,” you’d expect an hour of gut-busting, teeth-gnashing, laughter-preventing crunches, hovers, bicycles, and other abdominal exercises, right? Not so in the Burlington Dances studio, where, on a recent Thursday night, Lucille Dyer is leading a class of nine barefoot students in a series of ethereal movements across the hardwood floor. 4

lucille dyer moves vermonters through movement

by SARAH TUFF Photos by P A U L O . BO I S V E R T

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Opposite: Whole body conditioning with Pilates on the Cadillac and Reformer.

Studio owner Lucille Dyer.

This page: Lucille leads dancers in Space Harmony, teaching pure expression through harmonious movement.

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“Now you’re rising with lightness,” says Dyer, wearing a salmon-colored top just a shade or two darker than the peachcolored wall. “It’s about function and expression for what it is we need to do in the world. . . . It’s like a dance.”

Actually, just about everything in this space deep inside Chace Mill on the Winooski River Falls is a dance, from the way that water tap-taps from a small Japanese fountain and twinkling lights curtsy down a ficus tree to the do-si-dos of students coming and going in between classes. But thanks to Dyer’s leadership, Burlington Dances goes far beyond memorizing steps or whipping the body into shape. Whether it’s a Zumba class or footwork on a Pilates Reformer, this place is about movement and well-being.

At Home in Vermont Really, the story begins with movement.

Dyer grew up as a dancer in Los Angeles, earning her MFA from the California Institute of the Arts and teaching and touring along the west coast and in the Rockies.

But then she decided to leap all the way to 56

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the east coast so she could study at Manhattan’s Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies. And Winooski, Vermont, seemed like a fine place from which to do the occasional commute, so Dyer settled here in 2006 and opened Natural Bodies Pilates in Colchester. Last September, it was time for another move—to this bright, promising studio, where white-painted brick walls, ceiling fans, and chandeliers add to the artsy but spic-and-span atmosphere. As one student says, breezing through: “There’s no other space like this—you walk in and you’re inspired.”

The larger space also allowed Dyer to add a slew of new classes to her schedule, from Adaptive Yoga to Zumba. “The opportunities for dancers are not that great as you get up in years,” says Dyer. “But as I keep practicing, I keep getting better; my sense of mastery increases. It’s remarkable, and I wish to share that with other dancers.”

An Experienced Staff Though Dyer is very well-rounded, she doesn’t teach everything. “Imagine Steve

Martin doing Zumba,” she says with a laugh.

“That would be me in the back of the class.”

Several additional instructors now round out Dyer’s staff, including professional dancer Ellen Smith Ahern and also Julie Peoples-Clark, whose dancing the Washington Post compared to “melted caramel.” Even sweeter? The extra hands (and legs) mean that Dyer is now also offering classes for kids, such as a parentchild ballet class.

Dyer teaches a ballet basics class on Thursday evenings after Core Restore, and it’s a refreshing, lighthearted take on a discipline regarded as severe and punishing. “Every-

Above and opposite: Dancers practice Bartenieff Fundamentals™ for their warm-ups and whole body conditioning with Pilates on the Cadillac and Reformer.

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body thinks, ‘pink tights and ladies in tight buns yelling at you,’” says one student, who, as Dyer turns on the classical music, beams and says, “Yippee! Ballet!”

Indeed, Dyer’s approach is deeply knowledgeable but also filled with warmth and laughter. As the barre work begins—tondues, rond de jambs, and petit jetés—she shares amusing little lessons on the history of ballet, poking fun at the seriousness of it all. Even those who feel like a bull in a china shop with two left feet can’t help but relax and be filled with a certain grace in Dyer’s presence. “It’s a fertile time for growth and change in ballet,” she tells a slightly out-ofbreath group toward the end of the class. “I’m teaching it as kinder to the body.”

Learning to Move

Burlington Dances 1 Mill Street #372 Burlington, VT (802) 863-3369 www.burlingtondances.com

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For anyone who’s watched a TV show that puts celebs through drills so they can “dance,” Dyer’s perspective on what bodies are, and what they can do, is a very pleasant surprise. No, you’re not going to be performing Swan Lake after a week, but you will begin to learn more about anatomy, dance literacy, and what Dyer calls the cornerstones of healthy movement—awareness, balance, and coordination. That can make even the most mundane of tasks, from driving to waiting in line, more joyful. Learning how to move correctly, says Dyer, can do everything from improve our relationships with others to help us develop personally. “You’re not simply sitting there, thinking about stuff,” says Dyer. “You’re moving, and there’s something really healing about that.”

Dyer has also connected with a few other artists to study Francois Delsarte’s System of Expres-

sion with Joe Williams, who visits about once a month.

“We have formed what we are calling a ‘creative expression group,’” she explains.

“Like the salons of centuries past, we gather to discuss and experiment with the system as a way to understand the universal language of movement.”

When the ballet class ends, Dyer moves on to teach a Pilates reformer class, which suddenly seems to fit perfectly in this holistic space. Many Pilates studios are in gyms or in physical therapy offices but here, the springs and pulleys more resemble natural extensions of the arms and legs, meant to move and flow through space. And speaking of space, Dyer is particularly jazzed about the idea of bringing dance to outer space. “Young people could dance in zero gravity!” she says.

In the meantime, she says that the outdoor spaces around Burlington are also perfectly suited to dance. Sure, people think of Vermonters as hearty skiers and hikers, but these same green hills can hold random acts of dance; today called “flash mobs,” they have their roots in the Laban Movement Analysis that Dyer has studied extensively. Burlington had an even more thriving dance community at one time, she says, and now has a community coming alive with creative expression. “I just have this feeling,” says Dyer, “that we’re on the cusp of something wonderful.”

Opposite: Modern dance improvisations are fun with this dynamic team of teachers.

Left: Staff members Ellen Smith Ahern and Julie Peoples-Clark (seated) and Hermine Flanagan and Lucille Dyer.

Classes at Burlington Dances

• Adaptive Yoga allet Barre Beyond • BBasics (also, Beginning Basics)

• Bartenieff Fundamentals™ • Core Restore • F ibromyalgia Free Mo vement • Mat & Cadillac odern Dance (also, • MFoundations or Advanced) • Pilates Mat • Pilates Reformer • YogaDance™ • Yoga Pilates Fusion Hearts Ballet • Y& oung Creative • Zumba™

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GET CONNECTED Take this opportunity to reach thousands of potential customers!

Get listed on the bestofburlingtonvt.com BUSINESS DIRECTORY and you will also be included on our printed list in every issue of BEST OF BURLINGTON. E-mail Robin Gales at ctpublishing@comcast.net or call (802) 295–5295. Find out how you can connect with our readers. It’s easy, inexpensive, and another way to reach an affluent and educated audience.

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PHYSICAL RX

by MARK AIKEN P h o t o s C o u r t esy O F J A N L E J A

Running with Jan b u r l i n g t o n r u n n e r s s tay i n s h a p e a n d f i g h t c a n c e r — t o g e t h e r

Jan Leja has spent 13 years building a community based on fitness, friendship, and fighting cancer. How does one accomplish this? It’s simple—just run every Sunday.

Top: Training in a group for any event is always fun. Above: Mary Grunvald has five TNT events under her belt and has raised $15,000.

Keith Olson, soon to turn 80, has been a delightful member of the group.

“I love Vermont,” says Leja. “So the idea of running at a different venue every Sunday came naturally.” Each week Leja posts the location of the upcoming Sunday group run on his website RunwithJan.com (pronounced “Yawn”). Locations rotate among Leja’s favorite running spots in Burlington, Essex, Colchester, Richmond, and other sites. On Sunday, group runners arrive at 8:15am (7:30am in summertime, to beat the heat) and socialize, exchange hugs, and catch up until Leja reins them in. “Good morning everyone!” he says, pulling his camera from his bag. The participants gather for a group shot, and then everyone goes running (or walking), each person at his or her own pace and chosen distance. 4

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Support & Camaraderie Over the miles, the group splinters into small factions, but afterward, everyone gathers at a predetermined breakfast spot. It is the breakfast sessions that concern Susan Criscuolo, who has been running with Jan since 2007. “Beware,” she says, if you plan to join the group for a Sunday breakfast. “You might find yourself signing up for running events you never intended to.”

Take, for example, a group run last September.

With anywhere from 10 to 40 runners in attendance on a given Sunday run, this one was on the small side, and runners gathered at the deli counter at South Burlington’s Healthy Living Market afterward. “Maybe we should run the Philadelphia Marathon,” someone suggested.

The comment drew some laughs, but Leja sent a few e-mails that afternoon. Within two days, 14 runners had registered for Philly. They trained together, descended on The City of Brotherly Love in November, and all of them completed the 26.2-mile race. Likewise, 49 group runners participated in Burlington’s January 1 First Run, held this year on a Saturday. At the weekly group run the following day, 37 ran and brunched.

Running for Cancer In 1998, Leja joined the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training (TNT), which trains participants for marathons, half-marathons, triathlons, century rides, and hiking

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Left: Run with Jan-ers (from left) Rose Bergeron, Joy Livingston, and Jen Nachburat at the Corporate Cup 2010, Montpelier. Below: Jan Leja competes.

events while they raise money to support the fight against blood cancers. Leja walked his first marathon in Anchorage, Alaska, raising $4,600.

He became TNT’s volunteer walking coach in 2001 and then the running coach in 2003. As running coach, he met a group of runners who had fundraised and run in the previous season’s Disney Marathon.

Several of these runners became TNT mentors and all of them continued running with him. And Run with Jan was born.

Leja’s Sunday running group consists of fundraising TNT participants, TNT alumni, and friends. But TNT participants who join the organization in Vermont get more than workout plans from Leja. They gain entry into a community of supporters, friends, and inspiring people. Fundraising isn’t so daunting when you run every Sunday with 30 people who have fundraised themselves. And jogging on a rainy Sunday isn’t so unappealing when you know the rest of the group will be there rain or shine.

Jennifer Nachbur of Burlington joined TNT in 2006 after her mother was diagnosed with leukemia. She didn’t consider herself an athlete then; a mother of three, she balanced a full-time job and many volunteer activities. “I wasn’t physically active,” she says. “I didn’t have a lot of extra time—or at least perceived extra time—to exercise.”

Nachbur joined as a walker and fundraised for the Lake Placid half-marathon.

Five years later—now as a runner (“Walking was too cold,” she says)—she ran her first marathon this fall, raising $4,700. She did it in her mother Diana Adams Nachbur’s honor and with the support of her running group. “With this kind of support,” says Robyn Haberman, campaign director for the Upstate New York and Vermont chapter of Team in Training, “people realize they can accomplish more than they ever imagined.”

The Running Bug While Burlington ranks at or near the top of national surveys ranking healthy cities in which to live, there is a little-known but highly contagious virus plaguing the area: the running bug. Signs and sympSpring 2011 / Best of Burlington

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9234 Kitchesn & Interiors ad to come

toms include good health, an inclination to smile and laugh, and increased levels of self-esteem. Members of running groups, particularly Run with Jan, are especially susceptible.

Take Susan Criscuolo, who has trouble getting excited to run long distances alone (who wouldn’t?). “The Sunday runs are amazing, fun, and motivational,” she says.

It’s inspiring, says Criscuolo, to join forces with ordinary people who share their running schedules, their goals, and their accomplishments. “Each week I come across another person crazier than the last,” says Criscuolo. “It makes me want to keep doing this, to keep taking care of my body, and to keep turning people on to running.”

Criscuolo may not exactly be in a position to comment on crazy runners; she seems to have a fairly heavy case of the running bug herself. Training with Leja in 2007 for her first marathon, Criscuolo 64

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Top: Montreal Marathon, September 2010.

Above left: Marty and Kristen Courcelle, Triple Crown members, have completed marathons, a century ride (100 miles), and an Olympic distance triathlon for TNT. Above: Mitchell, an accomplished member of the Run with Jan jogging stroller division, and his super mom Angela Duquette, TNT alum, marathoner, and rider.

raised over $5,000 for TNT and completed the San Francisco Nike Women’s Marathon.

“I believed in the cause,” she says. She has run three marathons since, two as fundraisers. Her most recent TNT event was the Dublin Marathon, for which she had to raise $6,250. Despite a generous network of family and friends, this figure made even Criscuolo blink. By the time Dublin came around, the cause became personal for Criscuolo; her fiancé’s cousin was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. “It became a great way to include her in my marathon journey,” Criscuolo says. Still, how to raise $6,250?

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settled, Criscuolo had organized her own race event. The Downtown 10K in Burlington takes place on the last Sunday in September, with Criscuolo’s employer, Green Mountain Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, as the title sponsor with all proceeds going to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. “I had to learn everything about putting on a race event,” says Criscuolo. The inaugural event drew 120 runners in 2009 and nearly double that in 2010. Perfectly timed as a training event for many fall marathon and half-marathon events, many local runners now have the 10K programmed into their mental training calendars.

Heart of the Group At the center of the community is Leja. “He has this omnipresence among this huge group of runners,” says Criscuolo. Donating his time, he places water before group runs.

He supports runners and helps fundraisers.

“He’s the heart of the group,” she says.

Leja admits he is a poor “sideline” coach. He has run 27 marathons himself and served as a TNT coach at 11 others.

As a coach, he often runs distances greater than 26.2 miles, running alongside athletes, encouraging them to the finish and then heading back out to cheer others. It is challenging, he says, to organize a group with an age span from teens to 80-year-olds and an ability span from walkers to sub-threehour marathoners and ultra-runners.

But he learns from his own group, and what seems challenging is not insurmountable. So his group is open to all and fundraising is not required (although many have become inspired to fundraise). Runners should consider themselves warned: the running bug is contagious and no one is immune. Running with Jan could change your life, too.

Helpful Websites Run with Jan official website: www.RunwithJan.com Team in Training: www.teamintraining.org Burlington’s Downtown 10K: www.greenmtrehab.com 66

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maple

Syrup

Goes Modern

By MEREDITH ANGWIN photos by natalie stultz

LOCAL PRODUCERS EMPLOY NEW TECHNIQUES— AND KEEP SOME OLD ONES

Maple syrup, an ancient North American product, is now made with the most modern, fuel-efficient, and ecological methods.

Maple syrup is one of the greenest of the products of the Green Mountain State. And it’s sweet, too!

The basics of obtaining maple syrup are the same as in the past: Tap the tree when the sap rises, and then concentrate the

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sugars. In other ways, modern syrup making is quite different from the way it used to be done, and even the syrup makers are different. Instead of a grizzled older man with a horse-drawn wagon, the syrup maker may be a young man using techniques taught at college and investing in the latest technology and

Left: Cody L’Esperance’s new sugarhouse.

Top: A day’s run of sap. Center: Sap frozen after a cold night. Above: A glimpse of sweet syrup.

equipment. 4 Spring 2011 / Best of Burlington

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sponsored by name to go here

Copy to come

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Into the Woods How much has changed? Let’s start with changes in the sugarbush itself. Other trees have always grown among the sugar maples. In the past, these trees were merely tolerated, since there were too many of them to cut down. Now, sugarbush owners realize the value of forest diversity. Basswood leaves contain calcium, which enriches the soil. Yellow birches are the favorite tree for warblers, and wild cherries encourage robins.

Daniel Fortin taps 8,000 trees at Carman Brook Farm in Highgate Springs, Vermont. (The farm has been in his family for 100 years.) Fortin says, “A forest with only one kind of tree isn’t likely to be a healthy forest.” A sugarbush is a complex living entity, and modern farmers treat it as a managed ecology, not a tree farm.

Not far from Fortin’s farm, a young man, Cody L’Esperance, has recently begun producing maple sugar on his family’s land near St. Albans, Vermont.

His family has lived in northwest Vermont for generations, but they didn’t do much sugaring. After studying maple sugar production at the University of Vermont and in agricultural extension workshops,

Top, from left: Cody gathers sap. Tapping trees. Cody pounds in a spout.

Pure Vermont maple syrup. Bottom, from left: Cody and Camden install tubing. Cody’s dad and Mallory gather sap from buckets.

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Cody started his sugaring operation on his family’s property and some rented acreage. He arranged with a friend from high school to build a new sugarhouse and borrowed money from his family for modern equipment. His new sugarhouse is beautiful, modern, and practical.

Putting Modern Techniques to Work Modern equipment starts with the trees. Modern sugaring uses plastic tubing strung from the tree tap to the collection bin. Vacuum pumps are often used to extract more sap from the trees. (Vacuum extraction does not hurt or damage the trees. Sugaring extracts around 10 percent of the sap of each tree.) Fortin’s Carman Brook Farm has 10,000 taps on 8,000 trees and uses vacuum extraction of the sap. L’Esperance uses tubing in one area of trees and old-fashioned buckets in a smaller area.

When tubing is used, the sap flows downhill to a stainless-steel holding tank. Sap in the holding tank is a very cold, slightly sweet liquid; it chills your teeth to drink it. The sap is approximately 2 percent sugar and has to be concentrated by a factor of 40 before it becomes maple syrup. In the past, sugar makers started boiling the sap immediately, which required a great deal of fuel. Modern sugar makers like Fortin and L’Esperance start the process with Reverse Osmosis (RO) machines. The RO concentrates the sugars and removes 75 percent of the sap water. RO machines use electricity to separate a solution into two new solutions:

n The first solution is at a lower concentration of sugar (or salt) than the original solution.

n The second at solution is at a higher concentration.

RO is often used for desalinating seawater. For example, RO machines supply drinking water aboard large ships. When used for desalination, the low-concentration solution is the end product: potable water from seawater. When RO is used in sugaring, the higherconcentration solution is the end product: syrup from sap.

RO is an efficient process that saves a great deal of fuel, but it can’t make maple syrup all by itself. RO becomes less efficient as the solution becomes more concentrated. Also, maple syrup needs heat in order to develop its distinctive flavor.

Boiling the Sap After the RO has concentrated the sap, sugarers still boil the sap into sugar. Many use steam evaporators instead of open vats or kettles. Steam evaporators preheat the more dilute sap with heat from the boiling process. This saves fuel and makes the process more efficient and green. Also, the new evaporators are gleaming stainless, with adjustable heat rates and view ports to adjust the process. Many sugarers say they can control the boiling better and get a better product with the new evaporators. Of course, not everyone would agree!

One of the biggest issues in sugaring is foam control. A very small amount of oil must be added to control foaming near the end of the boiling process. This is usually just a few tablespoons of oil for many gallons of maple syrup, but it does present a problem. Peanut 72

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From left: Cody checks on boiling sap about to become syrup. Checking syrup density with a hydrometer. Changing temperature probes on auto draw-off unit. Below: Cody waits to fire the evaporator.

Drop In for a Visit Maple syrup operations are always fun to visit, and both farms also supply products by mail order. If you’re not visiting or ordering by mail, just pick up some local syrup at a store.

If you visit the L’Esperance sugarhouse during sugaring season, Cody may ask you to lend a hand. Learn more at www.lesperancemaple.com.

The Fortin’s Carman Brook Farm has a sugaring house, dairy barn, and Abenaki medicine caves on the property. Carman Brook Farm has a pleasant, small gift shop featuring many Vermont products. The Fortin family came from Quebec and

oil is excellent for the job and was the oil of choice for many years. However, nowadays, everyone is aware of peanut allergies. Canola oil breaks down in the heat of the boiling process, but it adds unwanted flavors to the syrup. Safflower oil has mostly replaced peanut oil to control foaming.

Wood, fuel oil, and propane gas are all used as fuel for boiling. In general, wood cannot be used for big operations: They would require too much wood. Fortin, with 8,000 trees, uses fuel oil, as do most sugar makers. L’Esperance has a small operation. He is proud of his new RO machine and evaporator, but he uses wood because he believes wood-fired boiling gives the syrup the best flavor.

Grades of Syrup And finally, we get to the important question of taste. Modern users appreciate the flavor of maple. In earlier days, when maple syrup was supposed to substitute for cane sugar, the lighter the syrup, the better. Now, the darker syrups, Grade A amber syrup and Grade B syrup, are in more demand. Grade B syrup, a very dark syrup made near the end of the sap run, used to be sold cheaply as a substitute for molasses. It is now in high demand, especially because it holds its intense maple flavor when used as an ingredient in a recipe.

bought their farm in 1911. Visit them during sugaring season, or visit in the summer, when they plan to have a centenary celebration for Carman Brook Farm. For more information, visit www.cbmaple farm.com.

Find delicious maple syrup recipes online at www.bestofburlingtonvt.com.

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COMMUNIT Y SPOTLIGHT

by SARAH ZOBEL P hotos b y J or d an sil v erman

The Clothes Exchange SHOp TILL YOU DROP— FOR A GOOD CAUSE

Imagine your best friend— the one with the really great sense of style and amazing wardrobe—invites you to her house to pick through her closet and help yourself to anything you like.

While you’re admiring the gorgeous Marc Jacobs coat and the jeans from 7 For All Mankind, she offers you a cup of Green Mountain Coffee or a glass of wine, accompanied by a delicious Vermont Brownie Company treat on a silver tray. Okay, so she asks you to pay for the clothes, but all that money will go to a local nonprofit. Besides, your friend has some brand-new clothes in there—stuff she’s never even worn, tags from funky boutiques still on them. 4 74

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Top: Hollie Foley and Tre McCarney, loyal shoppers at The Clothes Exchange.

Above: Women of all ages and sizes will find something they love at The Clothes Exchange. Photo by Ann Marie Vannucci, AMV Photography.

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Carol Blatspeiler (left), crowned top shopper four years in a row, with her personal shopper Crystal.

Welcome to The Clothes Exchange The brainchild of Leslie Halperin, The Clothes Exchange began as a private closet-clearing event in 2001. Halperin invited a few friends to bring to her house clothes they were no longer wearing but that were still fashionable and in good condition. Just by shopping in Halperin’s living room, those 15 women raised $600 that they donated to The Windows on the World Fund, which benefited the families of foodservice workers killed on 9/11.

Fast forward to 2010: Some 700 area women enjoyed an evening at the ninth annual Clothes Exchange at the Doubletree Hotel—the largest event ever held there—and $70,000 was raised for Burlington’s King Street Center. Halperin’s description of the event’s “extraordinary growth” might be an understatement. Every year, the amount of money that is raised and donated has increased by roughly 50 percent.

“People get caught up in the excitement of the clothes and getting bargains,” says Halperin, “but we exist to raise as much money as we can for the people who are doing the really important work in the community, working to solve social problems.”

Although the original goal was to help nonprofits that focus on women and children, like virtually everything else about the event, that has evolved. Some of the organizations that have been chosen as The Clothes Exchange beneficiaries include the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program, NeighborKeepers, and Vermont Works for Women. As part of the process, beneficiaries understand that they are required to play an active role by drumming up sponsors, selling tickets, and volunteering at the event itself.

“It was like your best adventure—frenzied at times, but always moving forward with There are many ways to get involved and support The Clothes Exchange. You can volunteer, donate clothes, and shop!

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a remarkable synergy,” says Vicky Smith, executive director of 2010 beneficiary King Street Center. “It was a coordinated effort that brought together our kids, staff, and board in a way I did not anticipate—such positive team building working toward a common goal.”

The Clothes Exchange is like a big party, a fun night out with shopping, wine, and chocolate! You have so much fun you forget you’re at a fundraiser.

Get Involved!

Donations of clean, in-style clothing are always welcomed. For information on hosting a workplace or community collection, or a business-to-consumer event, check out http://theclothesexchange.org, and go to the “donate” link. Bear in mind The Clothes Exchange’s rule: If you wouldn’t let your best friend wear it, we probably wouldn’t want it! Clothing collection begins in March.

Church Street boutique Sweet Lady Jane. Owner Rachel Strules says, “I’m proud to be part of The Clothes Exchange ‘family.’ I have been so moved by how clothing could be such a great way to raise money and what a difference it could make in someone’s life.”

This year, some 30 apparel sponsors will donate thousands of dollars in merchandise.

That means shoppers will find that roughly 50 percent of the clothing at The Clothes Exchange is brand new. Children’s retailers have also joined in, including Zutano, Isabean, and Little

Generous Local Donors

Luna Blue. And new for 2011, there will also be

Through the early years, the clothing on sale

a few choice men’s items for sale.

was exclusively secondhand. In 2006, the first

It’s a lot to squeeze into one evening, so this

year The Clothes Exchange was held in a public

year The Clothes Exchange’s organizers decided

venue, Halperin approached Isis—a locally

to expand it into a two-day affair, to be held May

based national manufacturer of women’s ap-

18 and 19. They’re also moving to the Sheraton

parel—to see if they would consider donating

on Williston Road so there will be more space to

items. They quickly agreed to take part, and

enjoy the goods. Eager shoppers can purchase a

they have maintained that generosity annually.

“Shop First” ticket for $110 and get first dibs, as

Another early and ongoing donor is

well as the services of a personal shopper, on the

The Clothes Exchange Advisory Board (from left): Leslie Halperin, Leigh Samuels, Alana Lowry, Ellen Kresky, Deb Lichtenfeld, Paula Rea, Heidi Boncher, Elzy Wick, Kelli Shonter, Kelly Desantos, Anna Rosenblum Palmer. Not pictured: Nancy Westbrook, Kristin DevoeTalutto, Lindsey Loucheim.

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18th. Main Event shoppers pay $10 for a ticket that lets them in on the 19th. Merchandise will be refreshed for shoppers on the 19th and event organizers have secured more than enough inventory so that even latecomers will find something special. Tickets are available online (http:// theclothesexchange.org); Shop First tickets must be reserved in advance.

The primary 2011 beneficiary is Spectrum Youth & Family Services. Because it is The Clothes Exchange’s tenth anniversary, Spectrum will receive 50 percent of the profits; the remaining 50 percent will be divided among all prior beneficiaries, in recognition of their work.

“We’re really proud, and we’re excited to be working with Leslie and her team,” says Spectrum’s executive director Mark Redmond. “Having your organization selected for this is like having your city chosen to host the Olympics!”

The tenth-anniversary celebration began in January with a kickoff event at Magnolia Bistro; it will continue with a benefit at Bluebird Tavern on April 13. Shop First ticket holders, sponsors, and partners will be invited to a special celebration on May 18; there, a video with highlights from the first 10 years of The Clothes Exchange will be shown, and past beneficiaries will have a chance to share what The Clothes Exchange has meant to their organizations.

And then the shopping can begin.

“We want to be a different kind of philanthropic organization,” Halperin says. “We think of The Clothes Exchange as an innovative twist on philanthropy—a new way of harnessing philanthropic dollars for community benefit.”

And in the end, everyone comes out looking good—literally.

Donation Perks The Clothes Exchange will be partnering with area retailers including Stephen & Burns, ECCO Clothes, and Sweet Lady Jane to offer specials to people who donate clothing through those businesses. Find more information at http://theclothesexchange.org. The Clothes Exchange will also be hosting a few “pop-up” shops during the summer at area locations, to be announced later this spring. Information on how to apply to be a beneficiary is also available on the website.

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hot spot

by PAT GOUDEY O’BRIEN

Pauline’s Café A L O C A L FAV O R I T E

Chef David with Crawford Farm Osso Buco.

Patrons say a visit to Chef David Hoene’s restaurant, Pauline’s Café on Shelburne Road, is guaranteed to be a warm and relaxed experience heightened by incredible cuisine that never disappoints. Chef David himself praises his staff for their unerring skill at serving patrons graciously, making Pauline’s a welcoming place where guests feel right at home. If only all of our homes included a worldclass culinary talent like Chef David and his inspired recipes for local, seasonal, farm-fresh, and wild-crafted foods. 4 Spring 2011 / Best of Burlington

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City Lights Ad Above: Foie Gras Crusted Scallop on Truffle Potato Cake. Pair this dish with Louis Jadot Puligny Montrachet. Right: Chef David and Katrina Church of Farrell Wine Distributing.

One of Many Special Events “People don’t realize what a treasure we have right here,” says David Barnebl of Vergennes, who took part in a wine dinner at Pauline’s this past winter. The event featured Chef David’s choice of Oysters Rockefeller; lamb, scallop, and beef entrees; sorbets; and dessert selections expertly paired with white and red Burgundy wines from the house of Louis Jadot. Barnebl praises Chef David’s intuitive approach to pairing foods and beverages that perfectly enhance the taste experience. He says it’s a natural talent, a skill that cannot be taught.

“And David enjoys the entertainment aspect of food, the shared experience of dining together,” says Barnebl, who was seated at a group table that encouraged conversation and collegiality during the event.

David Barnebl and his wife Linda say they visit Pauline’s often, have their own favorite menu choices, and enjoy taking part in the many special events that Chef David creates, knowing they will always have a good experience and a fine meal. Riki and Ed French drove to the Louis Jadot wine dinner from Stowe. They had stopped in to have lunch at Pauline’s earlier in the winter and were sufficiently impressed by the menu and quality of their meal to put their name on Chef David’s mailing list. Members of a wine club themselves, when they received notice for the wine dinner, they took the opportunity to visit again. They too were impressed with Chef David’s skill, not only at food preparation but also at his ability to craft a menu of flavors that build on and complement one another.

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In fact, this wine dinner was just one among the many special events that Chef David particularly enjoys creating, in addition to offering lunch, brunch, and dinner menus seven days a week. He says planning and cooking for parties, celebrations, and corporate or private events is especially gratifying, allowing him to turn his attention to an entire meal and work with clients to plan courses from appetizers and salads to entrees and desserts.

A Lifelong Chef David learned his craft by doing, rather than attending culinary school, and he has been cooking all of his life. Born and raised in Idaho, he worked in the Boston area during the 1980s, cooking at Rebecca’s, a popular restaurant in the Beacon Hill section on Charles Street. At Rebecca’s, he availed himself of an excellent apprenticeship opportunity to learn more about fine cuisine. When he and his wife, a New York native, wanted to settle down, they moved to the mountains they love and made their home in Vermont. Chef David spent about seven years cooking at Mary’s, a fine-dining restaurant in Bristol, further honing his skills for seasonal, local, and distinctive fare.

When he was offered the chef’s position at Pauline’s under previous owner Robert Fuller 10 years ago, he saw another opportunity for growth. In 2007, he purchased the restaurant. While Pauline’s patrons cite Chef David’s skill with food, he is quick to credit his entire team in the kitchen and front of the house for what he considers excellence in food preparation and service to the public.

Fresh, Local Selections A conversation with David over tea at the restaurant quickly turns to his philosophy of food and aspects of the restaurant trade that continue to engage and inspire him.

A member of the Vermont Fresh Network, he appreciates the changing seasons, and he crafts his menu to reflect the freshest, most abundant items at different times of the year.

“The menu changes often, based on what becomes available,” David says, including not only goods from Vermont farms and food purveyors but also from wild crafters like Les Hook and Nova Kim in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. He says he enjoys working with such suppliers for their knowledge of the region, their dedication to locating and harvesting naturally Spring 2011 / Best of Burlington

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growing foods, and for their good stewardship of the environment to ensure sustainable harvests into the future.

On the menu at Pauline’s are Vermont artisan cheeses and farm produce, local honeys and syrups, pasture-raised and whey-fed veal, free-range poultry and local meats, and seasonal wild meats, mushrooms, and other foods, all cooked with artisan care in Chef David’s kitchen.

Bring Your Date or an Entire Group The restaurant itself makes a picturesque and compact impression seen from the street, but the establishment is licensed for more than 100 patrons. Chef David has arranged seating for about 95 in several spaces on two floors. Downstairs, patrons sit at tables or booths in the cherry-paneled café with its intimate full-service bar, or they can dine in the enclosed porch that was included more recently. Three rooms upstairs are available for daily and nightly dining as well as spaces appropriate for special parties and events. The Gold and Rose Rooms are available for groups of fewer than 20 guests, or the entire upstairs can be reserved for parties of up to 60, David explains.

There’s an eclectic sampling of original art on the walls, including tapestries and woven pieces that join wood paneling and furnishings to create an informal feel during the daytime. The space is transformed in the evening with soft light, music, and formal place settings for an understated elegance that is always inviting and relaxed.

In warmer weather, an outdoor patio adds alfresco dining.

Restaurant manager Fran Gawitt worked at Pauline’s under previous owner 82

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Pauline’s features a comfortable, cozy atmostphere.

Robert Fuller and continues to manage the front-of-house and business aspects under Chef David. It’s a close-knit staff, Gawitt says, and a close-knit clientele, as well. “I talk to people a lot,” she smiles. “We have a lot of regulars.”

During the wine dinner event, she kept busy supervising the regular downstairs trade while overseeing progressive service for the event, but she says her staff works with choreographed precision and makes her job seem almost easy. She, too, wants to emphasize both aspects of Pauline’s culinary activity, the daily and weekly trade, and the special events large and small that make good use of the upstairs rooms. “We want people to know this space is here,” Gawitt says.

Pauline’s Café 1834 Shelburne Road South Burlington, VT (802) 862-1081 www.paulinescafe.com Spring 2011 / Best of Burlington

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AT T R A C T I O N S

new england “living”

show house at juniper hill inn in windsor, vermont

G r a n d O p e n i n g s e t f o r M ay 2 7

H

ow would you like to be whisked away to Monte Carlo for an evening of romantic dancing, trying your luck at the gaming tables, and delicious food from top chefs—without ever leaving Vermont? It’s all happening at An Evening in Monte Carlo, a spectacular Casino Royale-themed event taking place at the Juniper Hill Inn in Windsor, Vermont, to celebrate the New England “Living” Show House Gala Opening and Grand Design Reveal on May 27, 2011.

The elegant black-tie event promises to be a fabulous evening with Honorary Celebrity Chairwoman Cloris Leachman on hand to mingle with guests. She has been very generous with her support for the six Show House beneficiaries. The evening will feature three music venues from big band swing to jazz.

Spectacular food from around New England will be featured with contributions from Juniper Hill Inn, 84

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Home Hill Inn, Grafton Inn, White Barn Inn in Maine, Wyndham Hill Inn, Dovetail in New York City, and Rosa Mexicano in New York City with many more to be announced over the coming weeks. The evening will also feature an amazing silent auction and a live auction offering fine furniture, antiques, home-related products and services, cooking classes, vacations, dinners, and a very special live art auction with pieces from the coveted artists of the Cornish Colony Artist Guild.

Participating artists include painters Jane Ashley, William Hoyt, and Gary Milek, and sculptor Lawrence Nowlan.

A year of planning has gone into achieving the goal of the Show House, which is to raise $1 million to benefit nonprofit organizations. Beneficiaries include AHEAD (Adventures in Health, Education, and Agricultural Development); Fine Arts Museum of the Cornish Colony in collaboration with Friends of

Saint-Gauden; Historic Windsor, Inc. and Preservation Education Institute; the Humane Society of the United States; the Vermont Institute of Natural Science; and Woodstock's Norman Williams Library.

The Show House has been made possible by generous sponsors and donors including Juniper Hill Inn, Image magazine, New England Home magazine, Cambria, Mascoma Savings Bank, Harpoon Brewery, Sata Airlines, Occasions Catering and the Linen Shop, Lebanon Floral and Plants, Chocolate Now, and The Point Independent Radio.

The Show House opens to the public on May 28 from 10am to 3pm. These hours continue for the next 10 days and after that on Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays until early Labor Day weekend.

For tickets, parking information, and frequent updates go to www.newenglandlivingshowhouse.com.

q Ambassadorial Co-chair for the Show House Gala His Excellency Ombeni Y Sefue & Mrs. Sefue, Ambassador to the United Nations from the United Republic of Tanzania Honorary Celebrity Chairwoman Cloris Leachman Host & Hostess Committee Mr. Robert Frisch & Mrs. Cheryl Frisch, New Hampshire Robert Lewis Dean, II & Ari T Nikki, Vermont & New York Mrs. Katherine Bacon, Vermont Mr. Vincent Galluccio & Mrs. Judi Galluccio, Vermont Ms. Donna Van Fleet, Vermont Ms. Penny Grant, MD, New York Ms. Donna Williams, DDS, New York Dr. Irving Williams & Mrs. Elvira Williams, Washington, DC

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Happenings A Calendar of Events

Spring 2011

music of Donegal and Northern Flynn Center for the

Ireland, tinged with the drive of time-

Performing Arts

honored Scottish music.

153 Main Street, Burlington, VT

MainStage, 7:30pm.

Tickets: (802) 863-5966 Info: (802) 652-4500

March 19

www.flynncenter.org

The Capitol Steps Washington, DC’s funniest political satirists, the Capitol Steps are coming back to the Flynn, armed and dangerous with new material certain to

March 30

twists, surrounds, and develops.

bring down the house . . . and Senate.

The Wizard of Oz

MainStage, 7pm.

MainStage, 8pm.

The entire family will be captivated as they travel down the Yellow Brick

March 20

Road and beyond with Dorothy, Toto,

Giggle, Giggle, Quack

and their friends the Cowardly Lion,

Farmer Brown takes a vacation and

Tin Man, and Scarecrow.

leaves his city-slicker brother in

MainStage, 7pm.

charge with specific instructions on how to care for the animals. Leave it to Duck to rewrite the rules in another madcap musical mutiny brought to life onstage by the Dallas

April 29

Children’s Theater.

Angélique Kidjo

MainStage, 3pm.

This dynamic Grammy Award-winning singer, dancer, and songwriter

March 22

roves across boundaries, genres,

FILM: Pushing the Elephant

and ethnicities, finding the musical

When civil war came to Rose’s

connections that link every part of the world.

Congolese village, she was sepaMarch 4

rated from her 5-year-old daughter.

April 1

Ballet Grand Prix

More than a decade later, mother

Rudresh Mahanthappa

Superstar dancers from American

and daughter are reunited in the U.S.,

Rudresh Mahanthappa creates music

May 3

Ballet Theater, New York City Ballet,

where they must come to terms with

that is technically brilliant yet musi-

Garrison Keillor

Berlin State Opera Ballet, and Mor-

the past and build a new future.

cally cogent, harmonically adventur-

True to his form

phoses/The Wheeldon Company join

FlynnSpace, 7pm.

ous yet expressively straightforward,

as host of NPR’s

MainStage, 8pm.

with exceptional winners and final-

and ultimately scintil-

Prairie Home

ists from the Youth America Grand

lating.

Companion

Prix, the largest dance

FlynnSpace, 8pm.

and The Writer’s Almanac,

talent network in the world.

April 2

humorist

MainStage, 8pm.

Philip Glass

celebrity

Based on the ex-

speaker

March 17

tended reiteration

Garrison Keillor

Altan

of brief, elegant

shares hilarious anecdotes about

The most talked-about

melodic fragments,

growing up in the American

and lauded traditional

Glass immerses a

Midwest, the people of Lake

group to emerge from

listener in a sort of

Wobegon, and “late-life fatherhood.”

Ireland, Altan plays the

sonic weather that

MainStage, 7:30pm.

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Other Noteworthy Spring Events Through May 1 Raise the Roof Echo’s newest Shelburne Farms May 13–14

tive exhibit,

Shelburne, VT

Pasture to Palate: The Art

Raise the Roof,

(802) 985-8442

of Cheesemaking

presents a fun

www.shelburnefarms.org

Take a two-day journey into artisanal

and fascinating

Hours: 9am–5:30pm daily

cheesemaking. Begin with a pasture

look at buildings

walk, visit the dairy at milking

and what makes

March 19–20

time, and then enjoy a reception fea-

them stand up as

Vermont Maple Open House

turing Vermont’s finest cheeses and a

well as what makes

Weekend

guided tasting. Day two, make ched-

them come down. Echo Lake

must be received by April 20.

For more info, visit www.vermont

dar cheese with our cheesemakers;

Aquarium and Science Center/

www.branchoutburlington.org

maple.org.

we’ll age it and ship you a two-pound

Leahy Center for Lake Champlain,

block! 8am Friday–4pm Saturday. Call

(877) ECHOFUN, www.echover

May 8

(802) 985-0342 to register.

mont.com.

Lund Family Center 3rd Annual

April 15–17

Anna Polonsky

Photo courtesy of the science Museum of minnesota

highly interac-

1611 Harbor Road

between 9 and 11am. All orders

Mother’s Day Ride

Words Take Wing: Retreat for Poets & Writers

May 13–15

March 12 & 26, April 9 & 23

Join more than 300 cyclists for a

Do you write poetry? Wish you

Bedrock to Birds: The Natural

Burlington Farmers’ Market

family ride, or 16-, 30-, or 55-mile

could? This retreat will give you the

History of Shelburne Farms’

Visit the Burlington Farmers’

ride through scenic Vermont. Then

time, space, and encouragement to

Working Landscape

Market for food, crafts, music, and

join an estimated 500 spectators

read, write, and reflect and wander

Enjoy a weekend rich in discovery as

socializing. Memorial Auditorium,

and volunteers for a wonder-

in a beautiful setting on the shores

you explore the natural history of the

250 Main Street, Burlington, VT.

ful family celebration with fun

of Lake Champlain. No experience

Farm’s rural working landscape. The

10am–2pm.

activities, face painting, vendor

necessary. 11am Friday–2pm Sunday.

program includes morning bird walks,

Call (802) 985-8686 to register.

wildflower identification, geology

May 7

Boloco Inspired Burritos, Ben &

explorations, and wildlife observa-

4th Annual 2011 Branch Out

Jerry’s, Rhino Foods, VT Brownie,

May 6

tion. 11am Friday–2pm Sunday. Call

Burlington! Tree Sale

and more. Rice High School, South

Shelburne Farms Opens for

(802) 985–0342 to register.

Branch Out Burlington is offering

Burlington, VT. For more info, call

Summer Season

bare-root trees at unbelievable

(802) 861-2580 or e-mail kittyb@

As a working farm and environmental

prices. Trees are 5 to 6 feet and

lundfamilycenter.org.

education center, Shelburne Farms

branched. These trees have sold

truly never closes. There is activity

out for the past three years. Please

May 21 & 28

every day, from making cheese to

order early! Trees must be picked

Burlington Farmers’ Market

leading school children on field trips.

up at The UVM Hort Farm during

Visit the Burlington Farmers’

But things really rev up in early May.

the Annual Burlington Community

Market for food, crafts, music,

Tree Nursery Planting, which

and socializing. City Hall Park,

takes place on Saturday May 7

Burlington, VT. 8:30am–2pm.

ora moore

wares, and amazing food from

Happenings is sponsored by Fleming Museum

Spring 2011 / Best of Burlington

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BURLINGTON BUZZ

by MIKE MORIN

A Moment with

Daniel Mark Fogel

president of the university of vermont

Dr. Fogel, president of UVM since July 2002, earned his PhD in English from Cornell University in 1976 and is the founder of the Henry James Review. He and his wife, painter Rachel Kahn, have two children.

peers on responsible environmental practices, and programs supporting locally grown food. UVM is a leader in tracking our environmental impact and putting in place programs to mitigate it. As signatories of the President’s Climate Commitment program, we are aiming for net zero carbon emissions by 2025.

The University of Vermont seems very committed to multiculturalism, diversity, and social justice.

How does this make UVM a more attractive institution?

We must provide a college experience that prepares students for success in the increasingly multicultural world in which they will live and work. Our students really get that, and they themselves seek and value diversity. Our enrollment of American undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds reached 10 percent last year, a watershed for us. International enrollment has also grown significantly in recent years and will surge in the years ahead. Our Board of Trustees has affirmed UVM’s commitment to diversity as an indispensable element of academic excellence.

Sierra magazine and the Kaplan College Guide have ranked UVM very high on environmental issues and causes. Could you fill us in on that?

Vermonter George Perkins Marsh’s landmark Man and Nature (1864) spearheaded the environmental movement. UVM draws on Vermont’s deep commitment to environmental stewardship. UVM has been recognized for longstanding practices in energy efficiency, recycling, and composting, and for one of the nation’s first environmental studies programs—and for newer initiatives like our student EcoReps, who educate

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How do you think UVM’s presence enriches Burlington and vice versa?

UVM and Burlington are interdependent and reciprocally energizing. Wonderful Burlington helps draw great students, faculty, and staff to UVM. UVM returns the favor, creating a campus community of 17,000—3,800 of them holders of good jobs—to enrich the community intellectually and economically. UVM’s Lane Series entertained more than 10,000 patrons last year. UVM’s other cultural institutions, like the Fleming Museum and UVM Theatre, also bring Burlington terrific programming. And UVM gives Burlington the excitement and pride of an exemplary Division 1 athletics program.

You also have a career in literature and creative writing. What attracts you to the creative arts?

I dearly love literature, art, music, theater, dance, and film. I still write poems and songs. I love the paintings my wife makes. The arts entertain and delight us. Beyond aesthetics, the arts express what it means to be human, with all our joys and fears, all that is noble and ignoble.

Where would our sense of humanity be without Shakespeare, Dickinson, or Soyinka—or without Bach and Mary Chapin Carpenter? The arts and humanities must remain central in the University and in our culture—they are for me, and I hope they always will be.

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