Seven Days, December 5, 2018 by Seven Days

V ERM ONT ’S INDEP E NDE NT V OIC E DECEMBER 5-12, 2018 VOL.24 NO.12 SEVENDAYSVT.COM

SPECIAL REPORT: SMALL TOWNS, BIG ISSUES

Can rural Vermont communities survive in the age of Amazon and Act 46?

CHELSEA • BRADFORD • DERBY • TUNBRIDGE • STRAFFORD • ROYALTON • SHARON • HARDWICK • PUTNEY • MORGAN WEST WINDSOR • WHITINGHAM • GREENSBORO • JACKSONVILLE • GUILDHALL • HOLLAND • FRANKLIN • BROWNSVILLE CABOT • ISLAND POND • PEACHAM • SHOREHAM • NORTHFIELD • FAIRLEE • NORTON • CHARLESTON • EAST HAVEN • BETHEL

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DECEMBER

EVENTS Friday Night Music Series LUNCH | DINNER | SUNDAY BRUNCH EVENTS & WEDDINGS

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12.4 INTERCONNECTING 12.11 RHYMES, RIDDLES & WHO AM I? 12.18 ALL THE HOLIDAY MOVIES SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

12/3/18 11:23 AM

Calendar WINTER 2018 - 2019 DECEMBER Saturday, December 15 7pm

HD Film

The Met Opera Live in HD

Reduced Shakespeare Company

The Magic Flute

The Ultimate Christmas Show

Thursday, December 27 7pm

Saturday, December 29 7pm

Volkswagen presents

Green Mountain Mahler Festival’s Holiday Concert

Warren Miller’s “Face of Winter”

Wednesday, December 26 1pm

Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony

JANUARY Friday, January 4 Saturday, January 5

HD Film

Bolshoi Ballet in HD Don Quixote

Scout Film Festival

Friday, January 18, 1pm

Thursday, January 10 1pm

Wednesday, January 23 1pm

ArtSmart: What is Chamber Music?

HD Film

The Met Opera Live in HD

La Traviata

Saturday, January 19, 7pm

Spruce Peak Chamber Music Society presents

Rhapsody in Stowe

For More Events visit SprucePeakArts.org 122 Hourglass Drive Stowe, VT

Located at the top of the Mountain Road at Spruce Peak 4

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

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11/28/2018 11/29/18 11:58:28 1:46 AMPM

THE LAST WEEK IN REVIEW

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NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 5, 2018 COMPILED BY SASHA GOLDSTEIN, MATTHEW ROY & ANDREA SUOZZO

SEASON’S CHEATINGS

Burlington police are searching for a man who stole a 90-year-old woman’s wallet while she shopped for a greeting card. One for the “naughty” list…

That’s how many inches of snowpack Mount Mansfield had on November 29. The previous high-snow depth recorded in the month of November was 45 inches in 1990.

TOPFIVE

MOST POPULAR ITEMS ON SEVENDAYSVT.COM

SMOKE ON THE HIGHWAY

A massive, smoky fire in Colchester temporarily closed Interstate 89. No one was injured, but the blaze destroyed the J&B Truck Center.

BURLINGTON TELECOM REDUX S

everal Queen City residents are asking regulators to halt the proposed sale of Burlington Telecom because the city would not be repaid the nearly $17 million in funds diverted to the utility during 2008 and 2009.‰ “This deal is illegal,” said Dean Corren, who ran for lieutenant governor as the Democratic and Progressive candidate in 2014 and is one of the six citizens fighting the sale before state regulators.‰ The under-the-radar funding resulted in a scandal and caused the city’s credit rating to tank. Amid the political fallout,‰former mayor Bob Kiss didn’t seek reelection, and Miro Weinberger captured the mayor’s office.‰ Weinberger orchestrated the sale of the city-owned utility to settle its debts. Blue Water Holdings, a company owned by Lake Champlain Ferries mogul Trey Pecor, bought BT, and the city continues to manage it. Meanwhile, city officials reached a deal with Schurz Communications and ZRF Partners to purchase BT from Blue Water. The Vermont Public Utility Commission has not yet approved it.

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COURTESY OF MARSHA COX

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Those opposing the sale are members of Keep BT Local, a group that attempted to buy the utility. “That deal basically sells the successful utility at a fire sale price and gets the city only $5 million out of the $16.9 million, at least, that’s owed to residents,” Corren said. “And then, in [its] most recent filing, [the city] basically said, ‘Well, the taxpayers had no right to that money anyway.’”‰ Weinberger has maintained that his administration was working to recover as much of the $17 million as possible but never promised a specific amount. City lawyers now argue that a 2014 commission decision that approved the sale to Blue Water abandoned the premise that the city would ever get all of its money back. City attorney Eileen Blackwood noted that while taxpayers might not get full repayment, resolving issues with BT has led to a better credit rating for the city — which saves taxpayers dollars. Read reporter Taylor Dobbs’ full story on sevendaysvt.com.

TIMBERRRR

A 30-foot-tall balsam fir that will serve as the Statehouse Christmas tree came from a Hartland family. They say they’ll plant a new one in the spring.

INTERNATIONAL HUGS

Some families separated by President Donald Trump’s travel ban have met up in the Haskell Free Library on the U.S.-Canada border. Creative and touching.

1. “Sanders Institute Brings Star Power to Burlington” by Taylor Dobbs. The nonprofit hosted a three-day conference on the Burlington waterfront last week that was attended by movie stars and progressive intellectuals. 2. “Farmhouse Group to Add Three Restaurants Next Year” by Sally Pollak. The group is adding new spots in Winooski, Williston and South Burlington. 3. “BTV Loses Its Only International Commercial Flight” by Molly Walsh. Porter Airlines won’t fly between Burlington and Toronto this season. 4. “Vermont Officials Stifle Release of Documents by Former Employee” by Taylor Dobbs. State officials are trying to prevent a former employee from releasing documents that he says prove the Department of Public Service is favoring utilities over Vermonters. 5. “Family of Drug-Addicted Woman Whose Obit Went Viral Sues for Answers” by Mark Davis. Members of Madelyn Linsenmeir’s family want to know why police waited five days to bring the arrested woman to the hospital, where she later died.

tweet of the week @BillKristol If Bernie becomes president, do we get a @SkinnyPancake Vermont Creperie at Reagan National like the one at Burlington’s airport? If so, a Sanders presidency might be worth it. (But please substitute Dunkin’ Donuts coffee for the organic Sumatran fair trade coffee on sale here.) FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @SEVENDAYSVT OUR TWEEPLE: SEVENDAYSVT.COM/TWITTER

WHAT’S WEIRD IN VERMONT

‹ e teens performing a haka

BOOTS MADE FOR SHARING A group of New Zealand students visiting Vermont this week has a new appreciation for walking in someone else’s shoes. Morristown residents lent the 11 Kiwi teens boots so the boys could enjoy the snow during their trip to the states. “Only in Vermont, right?” said Marsha Cox, who put out a plea for footwear on both Front Porch Forum and with staff at the Peoples Academy. “It was an unusual request.” Cox’s son, Tim, lives in Hamilton, New Zealand, where his 15-year-old son plays high school basketball. After a successful season, the students decided to take a

trip and held bake sales, car washes and other fundraisers for a visit to Vermont. They arrived at the Los Angeles airport on November 29 and ended up talking to the brother of New Zealand-born Boston Celtics player Aron Baynes. Through that connection, on Saturday the boys were able to go onto the Celtics court, where they performed their school haka, a ceremonial dance that is part show of strength and part introduction and welcome. The teens later arrived in Vermont and have been getting acquainted with the Morristown area while also acting as

ambassadors of the Maori culture. They’ve scheduled a slate of scrimmages with local basketball teams, including one held Monday night with the Peoples Academy junior varsity squad. The Kiwis “won handily,” according to Cox. Undoubtedly the highlight, said Cox, was the boys’ experience in the snow. They live on the north island of New Zealand, which is more temperate than the south island. Some had never seen snow before, but they’ve been out — in their borrowed boots — building snowmen and sledding, Cox said. “They look outside, and they still think it’s magical and beautiful,” she said. “I know some Vermonters are already getting sick of it, but if you’re from the Paciﬁc Islands, I guess this is pretty cool.” SASHA GOLDSTEIN SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

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OUT ON THE TOWNS. / Pamela Polston, Paula Routly  Don Eggert, Pamela Polston, Cathy Resmer,

Colby Roberts, Paula Routly  Paula Routly   Cathy Resmer   

Don Eggert, Pamela Polston, Colby Roberts NEWS & POLITICS  Matthew Roy   Sasha Goldstein   Paul Heintz   Candace Page   John Walters   Mark Davis, Taylor Dobbs,

Alicia Freese, Katie Jickling, Molly Walsh ARTS & LIFE  Pamela Polston    Margot Harrison   Dan Bolles, Elizabeth M. Seyler   Hannah Palmer Egan š   Jordan Adams   Kristen Ravin    š  Carolyn Fox   Chelsea Edgar, Ken Picard,

Sally Pollak, Kymelya Sari

 Carolyn Fox, Elizabeth M. Seyler D I G I TA L & V I D E O   Andrea Suozzo     Bryan Parmelee    Eva Sollberger   James Buck DESIGN   Don Eggert   Rev. Diane Sullivan   John James   Matthew Thorsen  Brooke Bousquet,

Kirsten Cheney, Todd Scott

SALES & MARKETING    Colby Roberts    Michael Bradshaw   Robyn Birgisson,

Michelle Brown, Kristen Hutter, Logan Pintka š  &   Corey Grenier  &   Ashley Cleare   &    Jolie Lavigne A D M I N I S T R AT I O N  š  Cheryl Brownell    Matt Weiner   Jeff Baron .  Rufus CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Luke Baynes, Justin Boland, Alex Brown, Rachel Elizabeth Jones, Rick Kisonak, Jacqueline Lawler, Amy Lilly, Bryan Parmelee, Melissa Pasanen, Jernigan Pontiac, Julia Shipley, Molly Zapp CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Harry Bliss, Caleb Kenna, Matt Mignanelli, Marc Nadel, Tim Newcomb, Susan Norton, Oliver Parini, Sarah Priestap, Kim Scafuro, Michael Tonn, Jeb Wallace-Brodeur C I R C U L AT I O N : 3 6 , 0 0 0 Seven Days is published by Da Capo Publishing Inc. every Wednesday. It is distributed free of charge in greater Burlington, Middlebury, Montpelier, Northeast Kingdom, Stowe, the Mad River Valley, Rutland, St. Albans, St. Johnsbury, White River Junction and Plattsburgh, N.Y. DELIVERY TECHNICIANS Harry Applegate, Jeff Baron, Joe Bouffard, Pat Bouffard, Caleb Bronz, Colin Clary, Elana Coppola-Dyer, Donna Delmoora, Matt Hagen, Nat Michael, Bill Mullins, Dan Nesbitt, Ezra Oklan, Dan Thayer, Andy Weiner, Josh Weinstein With additional circulation support from PP&D. SUBSCRIPTIONS 6- 1 : $175. 1- 1 : $275. 6- 3 : $85. 1- 3 : $135. Please call 802-864-5684 with your credit card, or mail your check or money order to “Subscriptions” at the address below.

Seven Days shall not be held liable to any advertiser for any loss that results from the incorrect publication of its advertisement. If a mistake is ours, and the advertising purpose has been rendered valueless, Seven Days may cancel the charges for the advertisement, or a portion thereof as deemed reasonable by the publisher. Seven Days reserves the right to refuse any advertising, including inserts, at the discretion of the publishers. DISCLOSURE: Seven Days publisher and coeditor Paula Routly is the domestic partner of Vermont Senate President Pro Tempore Tim Ashe. Routly abstains from involvement in the newspaper’s Statehouse and state political coverage. Find our conflict of interest policy here: sevendaysvt.com/disclosure.

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SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

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FEEDback READER REACTION TO RECENT ARTICLES

SMALL-TOWN TROUBLES

[Re “The Only Name in Town,” November 21]: I read Chelsea Edgar’s story on South Woodstock intently, looking for any strategies, any ideas that could be applied to my town, Wheelock. Like South Woodstock, it has a small population and a need for more volunteer firemen. We have second homes, too, but they are deer camps. Our post office closed in the ’50s. In 1962, the village church was torn down due to disrepair. In 1969, the village school burned down; in 2000, our historic tavern was dismantled brick by brick and beautifully restored in Peacham. For the moment, we have a village store, but it is behind on its taxes. The average family home on the Wheelock Grand List is under $200,000. We are a town of hardworking people and trees, lots of trees. Although we don’t get together anymore for chicken pie suppers, Friday night bingo, the annual field day or the weekly quilting circle, we still have a turnout for Town Meeting. We disagree and dicker, grump and growl, debate and decide on the town budget and when to buy a new plow truck. For the past 14 years, we have voted down proposal after proposal to address our two greatest needs: a new town garage and a safe, accessible town hall. I began reading Edgar’s article with hope. By the end, all I felt was discouraged. Then a question jumped into my head: “Is South Woodstock even in Vermont?” Wheelock is a Vermont town. I may not know how we are going to do it, but we are going to survive, build the damn garage with our own hands if we have to and come together for Town Meeting. This year’s discussions will be about the “half-a-beer budget” proposal for a small addition to the town hall. If there is a millionaire out there who would like to adopt our town, you would be welcomed with open arms. Carol Rossi

WHEELOCK

Editor’s note: This week’s entire issue is about the challenges facing small-town rural Vermont.

KINGDOM CULTURE

Kudos to Seven Days and Dan Bolles, the writer of “Who Shot Mr. Cheeseface?”

WEEK IN REVIEW

TIM NEWCOMB

A few of her favorite things

DON’T CLOSE CITY HALL PARK

Vinny DeToma

BURLINGTON

WHO APPROVED THAT COVER IMAGE?

I find the cover of this week’s issue, featuring the National Lampoon image of a dog with a gun to its head, to be absolutely, incredibly over the line [“Who Shot Mr. Cheeseface?” November 28].

I’m astounded that this was published. I thought we had come further as a society than that — to not have such a triggering image on the cover itself, at the very least! Cecelia Moon

BURLINGTON

GROWING INDUSTRY?

Legislature to consider pot sales PAGE 14

V ER M ON T ’ S IN D EP EN D EN T V OICE NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 05, 2018 VOL.24 NO.11 SEVENDAYSVT.COM

[November 28]! I was playing music in the Northeast Kingdom during the time of Jimmy De Pierro’s Mr. Cheeseface in a band called the Ten Mile Shuffle Band, named after the road he lived on because we shuffled from house to house for various reasons, mostly with children in tow. My two post-teenage grandchildren still live in West Charleston. I know most all of the people cited in the article, and all are the most spiritual and honest people I know. My daughter, who lives in Holland, Vt., once was accused of shooting a cat from the passenger side her boyfriend’s pickup truck, thinking it was a raccoon. We still tease her about it to this day. I do not want to make light of Jimmy’s beloved Mr. Cheeseface and other pets and owners who have endured the culture of the NEK in this way. But it truly is like the Old West in culture and lots of freedom, and you will think you have gone back in time and are in some sort of fantasy if you spend any significant time living there. Again, great writing by Bolles in capturing the spirit of that time in the 1970s in a “Kingdom” far, far away…

HATS [Re “Uprooted: Burlington Farmers SCARVES Market Seeks a New Home,” October 31]: Closing Burlington’s City Hall Park GLOVES for long-term renovation would be a disaster. Ninety-three vendors, their employees and central city small-business owners will experience economic harm because someone decided the grass is getting thin and the sidewalks KINROSS are too narrow. Tourism will suffer. CASHMERE TripAdvisor places the Burlington Farmers Market as the second most popular tourist activity out of 43 “things to do” listings in town. The Saturday market is a cultural icon. People come here for it and offer rave reviews. None complained about the condition of the park. Proposed landscaping means a possible loss of one-third of the current number of vendors and smaller space for display and sales. Are public officials so out of touch that they believe this project will not hurt the local economy and deprive small entrepreneurs of their livelihoods? There are questions. What are the LOCALLY OWNED SINCE 1979 cost details of this $3 million project? 102 Church Street, Burlington • 864-0414 Is this huge outlay justified? Was the development of the plan transparent and open to community discussion? Do 1 12/3/18 10:20 AM we need a kiosk in a park that has dozens8v-expressions120518.indd Unique pieces in Gibeon Meteorite, 100% recycled gold, diamonds, of market food vendors? Are there more and other fine gemstones. important uses of these funds? Why will it take up to two years to carry out this project? What was the basis for choosing the contractor? Are there alternatives? Perhaps community members could come together to design and quickly create a public space that reflects local values and commitment? Donations of labor, materials and vegetation might save millions of dollars and allow our markets to continue without disruption.

Give.

The tragic tale of a famous mutt — and his Vermont demise

WHO SHOT

MR. CHEESEFACE? B Y D A N B O L L E S, PA G E 3 0

BODY WORK

PAGE 34

Of art and auto parts

PATS IN PICTURES

PAGE 36

VT author talks football history

ROUNDING UP

Ralph Herbert PAGE 40

City Market beats projections

NORTHFIELD

TIME TO PAY, TRUMP

[Re Last Seven: Emoji That, “Flame War,” November 28]: I was wondering if Eric Trump might be willing to make good on his father’s bill with the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts and the City of Burlington for the event he held here in January 2016? I was just thinking that if Eric Trump is willing to send as many replacement flags as necessary, the Trump 2020 campaign probably has enough in the coffers to pay that outstanding bill? Allan Nicholls

FERRISBURGH

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Holiday Accessories Sale

GIVE the

ARTS

2018 GIFT GUIDE

tickets

membership

classes

workshops

gift certificates

Burlington does NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATION 2019

this year, create memorable experiences

FEBRUARY 4 Monday at 7 pm

Ladysmith Black Mambazo 6 Wednesday at 7:30 pm

Herbie Hancock

DECEMBER 6 Thursday at 2 & 7 pm

NTL: Antony & Cleopatra 7-8 Fri. & Sat. at 8 pm

Keigwin and Company: Places Please! 9 Sunday at 3 pm

Vice President Joe Biden 9 Sunday at 7 pm

The Paul Asbell Quintet 13-15 Thurs. & Fri. 6 & 8 pm Sat. 1 & 3 pm

Flynn Show Choirs 14 Friday at 8 pm

Parsons Dance 31 Monday at 7:30 pm Flynn, Lyric Theatre, VSO

Burlington Does Broadway

JANUARY 10 Thursday at 6 pm

The Magic School Bus 11-12 Fri. & Sat. at 8 pm

Bill Shannon: Maker Moves

25 Friday at 8 pm

Bassem Youssef 31 Thursday at 2 & 7 pm

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MAGNIFICENT MUST SEE, MUST DO THIS WEEK

WEDNESDAY 12-SUNDAY 16

Winter Reading What could be better on a snowy winter’s night than settling in for an evening of stories and songs? Vermont Stage invites folks to come in out of the cold for its annual holiday production Winter Tales. ł is treasury of poems, narratives and music by local talent is performed for the ﬁrst time in Burlington’s Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center. SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 64

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Take a Bow Musical theater actors don’t always get to choose what songs they sing onstage. In the annual musical revue Broadway Direct, however, performers serve up their favorite tunes from Broadway and beyond. Professional actors Anastasia Barzee and Joseph Dellger join veteran thespian and local resident Bill Carmichael for shows in Vergennes and Colchester. SEE CALENDAR LISTINGS ON PAGES 58 AND 60

MONDAY 10

Golden Years According to SAGE, the country’s largest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ older adults, those elders face signiﬁcant barriers to health care, economic security and other keys to successful aging. Champlain College and the Pride Center of Vermont collaborate to host Live Well, Age Well, a social gathering at the Richmond Free Library focused on healthy aging among LGBTQ individuals. SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 62

SATURDAY 8

HEARD ON HIGH A blue Christmas isn’t necessarily a bad thing. ł e Gibson Brothers (pictured) bring their award-winning brand of bluegrass to the Barre Opera House with their holiday concert A North Country Christmas. Singing in soaring harmony, upstate New York siblings Eric and Leigh pick and strum their way through festive selections. SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 59

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Ready, Set, Shop Christmas is creeping closer and closer, which means there’s less and less time for holiday gift buying. With more than 45 vendors offering arts and crafts, body-care products, and tons of tasty treats, the WonderArts Holiday Market at Craftsbury Common offers something for everyone on your list. SEE CALENDAR LISTING ON PAGE 59

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Americana music fans revel in the genre during a night of Vermont-made melodies. South Londonderry Americana doom-pop duo the Strangled Darlings and central Vermont folk rocker Bow Thayer draw a crowd at Babes Bar in Bethel. Jordan Adams scopes out the venue that offers eats, drinks, a reading library and even a kids’ zone.

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LOOKING FORWARD

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DECEMBER 5-12, 2018 VOL.24 NO.12 37

NEWS 43

Excerpts From Off Message

BY SEVEN DAYS STAFF

Our Towns

Special Report: Can rural Vermont communities survive in the age of Amazon and Act 46? BY PAULA ROUTLY

Our Towns: How the Green Mountain “baby bust” is changing one Vermont town

Our Towns: How rural communities are ﬁlling the gaps left by departing dentists

School’s Out

Alternate Utopia

Our Towns: Can four Vermont towns plan a future together? BY KATIE JICKLING

A Galaxy Close, Close to Home...

SECTIONS 9 52 66 70 78 84

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

mr. brunelle explains it all deep dark fears this modern world phil gerigscott iona fox red meat jen sorensen harry bliss rachel lives here now free will astrology personals

Shining ‘Star’

Our Towns: Newport’s St. Mary serves Communion and community BY AMY LILY

COLUMNS + REVIEWS 14 71 75 84 94

CLASSIFIEDS vehicles housing services homeworks buy this stuff music legals fsbo crossword support groups calcoku/sudoku puzzle answers jobs

Fair Game POLITICS Soundbites MUSIC Album Reviews Movie Reviews Scarlett Letters SEX

Our Towns: Hardwick’s 30-year-old indie bookshop reﬂects lit love and community values

BY ALICIA FREESE

The Magniﬁcent 7 Calendar Classes Music Art Movies

FUN STUFF

BY JORDAN ADAMS

Betting on Bradford

Our Towns: Ž e Space on Main founder Monique Priestley recommends “giving a shit”

Eating Way Out

Our Towns: Around smalltown Vermont, square meals come with a side of connection

Our Towns: Cheers to Babes Bar, Bethel’s new melting pot

Bridgework Ahead

BY HANNAH PALMER EGAN

BY SASHA GOLDSTEIN

Our Towns: How a cluster of Northeast Kingdom towns is coping with consolidation

Our Towns: Can the capital of Orange County keep the lights on?

BY HANNAH PALMER EGAN, MELISSA PASANEN & SALLY POLLAK

As Goes Chelsea...

BY KEN PICARD

Can Cannabis Save the General Store?

Our Towns: Vermont’s hometown retailers must innovate to survive

BY MARK DAVIS

Pop. Drop

BY MOLLY WALSH

Greensboro’s ‘Globe’

Our Towns: Highland Center for the Arts shines a spotlight on Kingdom culture BY CHELSEA EDGAR

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SPECIAL REPORT: SMALL TOWNS, BIG ISSUES

Can rural Vermont communities survive in the age of Amazon and Act 46?

hy do Vermonters live where they do? Historically, settlement patterns have been shaped by natural resources and the industries that spring up around them. Workers flocked to Barre for its granite; to Proctor for its marble; to Mount Tabor for its timber; and to St. Albans and Island Pond for the railroad lines to bigger markets. Residents of the Vermont town of Springfield, nicknamed the Machine Tool Capital of the World, once boasted the highest per-capita income in the state. More recently, Vermont’s rural landscape has drawn city dwellers in search of a saner life. New Yorker cartoonist Ed Koren — who illustrated this week’s cover — quit Manhattan for the central Vermont town of Brookfield 31 years ago. Back then, he said, “There were people living in every house up and down the street.” But things change for a multitude of reasons, including new technology, natural disasters, wars and consumer preferences. The Vermont towns of Tyson Furnace, Glastenbury, Lewiston, Somerset and Ricker Basin no longer exist in part because the products that brought people there — old-growth forest, gold, iron ore — ran out.

In Springfield, “They kept making the same machines, and while they were great and cool and the standardbearers, you’ve always got to innovate,” Bob Flint, executive director of the Springfield Regional Development Corporation, told Seven Days in 2015. The factories failed to keep up with changing technology and closed one by one. Now household income in the town is about $10,000 below the Vermont median. Meanwhile, Brookfield has “become a ghost town,” said Koren, noting that only 13 structures of 22 that comprise the village are currently occupied. “The two businesses that animated it, that gave it life, have closed,” he said of the town. One of those, Ariel’s Restaurant, was auctioned off last Thursday. No serious buyers showed up, according to Koren, so the bank bought the property. Outside of Chittenden County, many Vermont communities are struggling. When a major manufacturer shuts down, or the college in town sheds staffers, there may not be any other local employment options. The alternative — driving long distances to work — discourages participation in civic life. Commuters and second-home owners don’t tend to join the volunteer fire department. School consolidation, or the threat of it, repels families from places on the

perceived losing end of the education equation. The combination of an aging demographic and a zero birth rate also imperil some towns. Why not boost the population with young professionals who work remotely? That requires a reliable internet connection, something much of rural Vermont still lacks.

HOW DO WE HELP THESE RURAL PLACES SUCCEED? PAUL BR UH N

In 2004, the National Trust for Historic Preservation put Vermont on its “endangered list” in anticipation of the negative impact big-box stores could have on its picturesque downtowns. But while planners and preservationists were worrying about Walmart, Amazon offered an online alternative to local shopping, decimating Main Streets here and across the country. There’s no shortage of UPS and FedEx trucks delivering packages on the back roads of Vermont. “How do we help these rural places succeed?” asked Paul Bruhn, executive director of Preservation Trust of Vermont, whose rescue efforts have taken him all over the state. “How do

we make them places people want to live in?” Bruhn’s organization aims to answer those questions —and has played a key role in almost every local preservation success story. In a brainstorming session during one of its retreats, participants compiled a list of all the things that “make a great village.” It included a school, a post office, a library and a bakery-café, as well as a fire department and a good septic system. Rural communities across Vermont are doing their own internal assessments and, in some cases, taking action. They’re saving general stores, repurposing churches and building arts centers. In Koren’s burg, a group of citizens bought the moribund Brookfield Town Hall — at auction — and turned it into a lively, albeit seasonal, community center. And there are other glimmers of hope: A beloved bookstore in Hardwick is celebrating three decades in business; there’s a new co-working space in Bradford; and a recruitment effort to bring young dentists to rural communities appears to be working, at least in St. Johnsbury. Will such efforts be sufficient to save rural settlements in the Green Mountain State? We’ll find out. In this issue, Seven Days reporters explore some of the ways Vermont’s human landscape is shifting once again. PAU L A RO U T LY

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he word spread far and wide, all across the globe: Vermont was offering people $10,000 to move Can’t make it Friday night? to the state. Wow, free money! 20% OFF ONE FULL-PRICED ITEM* Ehh, not so fast. In reality, it’s a small with this ad, or use code DEC20 online. Ends 12/24/18 grant program aimed at a specific category of people: those who move to Vermont *Some exclusions apply and continue to work for employers who are some distance away. And it isn’t a cash giveaway but a reimbursement program for expenses related to a move. ! $ " @HydrangeaToo As stories elsewhere in this week’s Seven 199 College Street, Burlington Days make clear, Vermont’s small towns are HydrangeaToo.com • 862-0707 crying out for new residents. Out-migration and a falling birth rate have left many with a shrinking or stagnant population, while, 12V-Hydrangea120518.indd 1 12/4/18 3:27 PM at the same time, many employers are constantly looking for workers. The remote-worker program is a small effort to address a big problem. And while outside media accounts were greatly exaggerated, they did provide a windfall of free publicity. “We’ve gotten 1 billion media impressions on the remote-worker program worldwide,” Secretary of Commerce Vermont Snowflake Pendants MICHAEL SCHIRLING said Monday. “Over 2,500 are Custom Made in White Gold people are interested in the program.” and Diamonds Starting at $275 The vast majority of those people will never get a dollar from the state. The remote-worker program is funded to the tune of $500,000 over the next three years. Which means that if each qualified applicant were to receive the full $10,000, 91 Main Street, Stowe the program would run out of money after 802-253-3033 enticing a not-so-grand total of 50 new stowe@ferrojewelers.com residents. ferrojewelers.com/stowe/ Seems like a small drop in a great big, possibly leaky, bucket. That doesn’t bother program support12v-ferro112316.indd 1 11/14/16 3:44 PM ers such as ALEXANDER BECK, workforce and education program specialist for the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation, an economic development group in southeastern Vermont. “We’ve already seen people reach out and move here,” he said. “Many people heard about the program and got interested in Vermont, even if they didn’t qualify for this program.” Those who do make a move could be disappointed by the gap between promise and reality, especially in rural Vermont. “A lot of rural communities do not have modern telecom or internet,” said Rep. CHARLES KIMBELL (D-Woodstock), who has Aveda Gift Certiﬁcates available. deep experience in finance and business. A new beauty experience awaits... He pointed to two struggling communities within his district that face major obstacles to recovery. “The town of Plymouth lost its general 1 0 9 W IN O O S K I FA LLS W A Y store and has no community meeting SAL ONS A L O N WIN O O S K I . CO M | 654. 7400 places,” Kimbell said. “They’re trying to SA L O N S A L O N WIN O O S K I @ G M A I L. CO M

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live with it. In the town of Reading, the school is in peril and the general store is struggling. They have a cluster of homes with water and septic problems.” But Schirling paints a sunnier picture. “We have 10 areas where there are [plenty] of jobs,” he noted, including not only Burlington but also the likes of Bennington, Springfield and St. Johnsbury. “If you draw a commuter shed around each one, you reach all 251 of our communities.” That’s nice. But look at Kimbell’s district. Proximity to Woodstock, with its picturesque and vibrant downtown, and the rest of the Upper Valley isn’t doing

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much for the declining communities just down the road. Schirling says it’s a matter of identifying each town’s unique appeal. DAVID SNEDEKER, executive director of the Northeast Vermont Development Association, offers an example. “We had a manufacturer in Lyndonville that was having trouble recruiting engineers,” he said. “They advertised in mountain biking media, referring to the Kingdom Trails nearby. They had some success.” Sen. BECCA BALINT (D-Windham), who was one of the legislative sponsors of the remote-worker program, described it as one incremental step. “We need to think about a suite of offerings to entice people to stay or move here,” she said. Schirling believes that the best way forward is to come up with a variety of smaller-scale initiatives, test them out and see which ones are effective. Beck concurs. “It’s not ‘either/or’ but ‘yes/ and,’” he said. “The more programs, the better.” It’s a sadly ironic sort of crisis. Vermont is not seen as a land of opportunity, and yet the state’s biggest economic challenge is an inadequate workforce. Jobs are going begging. “Physicians, engineers, retail, tourism, trucking, manufacturing — in every sector, workforce is the No. 1 challenge,” said Schirling. The state faces a real demographic crisis. Our population is aging, and our birth rate has fallen below the numbers required to merely replace retirees, much less fill the workforce gap. Programs such as remote-worker grants and Vermont’s Stay to Stay initiative, which

offers weekend visitors an extra day to visit potential employers, seem awfully incremental in the face of our challenges. Big ideas, anyone? Why, yes, in fact. One with a track record of success. “A couple years ago, I took a trip to Lewiston, Maine,” Snedeker said. “It has one of the youngest demographics in Maine because it took in 8,000 refugees from Somalia.” The immigrants have sparked a swell of economic activity and turned around Lewiston’s fortunes. Balint recalled a recent talk given to lawmakers by state economist TOM KAVET. “He said, ‘We know how to solve the demographic crisis: an influx of immigrants.’” Balint then noted the potential worm in the apple. “There are Vermonters who see that as exciting and others who feel discomfited,” she said. A proposal to welcome Syrian refugees to Rutland touched off a firestorm that divided the city and ended the political career of the once-popular mayor CHRIS LOURAS, who’d promoted the idea. Also recall the NewVistas saga, reported on page 34 of this week’s issue. The planned community, spearheaded by a wealthy Mormon, would have brought significant growth to an area in need of a boost, but local residents feared the consequences. And that’s the hidden obstacle to any idea for growing the economy. Many Vermonters are unwilling to accept too much change, especially when it involves people of a different religion or color. Maybe that’s why our political leaders are nibbling around the edges of the problem instead of tackling it head-on.

Pooter and Snatch

The normally sacrosanct Vermont National Guard is getting a big ol’ mess of bad publicity, thanks to a recent series of articles published by VTDigger.org. And the Guard, for all its boasting about its ties to the brave and noble ETHAN ALLEN, has responded with something of a hissy fit. The articles, mostly written by JASPER CRAVEN in a series called “The Flying Fraternity,” have spotlighted such alleged activities as widespread sexual harassment and assault, alcohol abuse, fiscal irregularities, misuse of Guard resources, and retaliation against whistleblowers. They’ve also revealed the boys’ club monikers given to a couple of Guard officers: Lt. Col. CHRISTOPHER “POOTER” CAPUTO and retired Air Force Col.

THOMAS JACKMAN, who was ousted quietly

after he used an Air Guard jet to fly to Washington, D.C., for an assignation with his mistress. Jackman reportedly earned the nickname “Snatch” because of his eye for the ladies. Pooter and Snatch. Old Ethan would be so proud. The Guard responded by removing Digger from its media contact list. “They communicated this by email in late September,” Digger founder and chief editor ANNE GALLOWAY said. “As Jasper started reporting, he got through to people they weren’t happy about us contacting.” She added that the Guard was also unhappy about Digger’s previous reporting on other topics, including the planned deployment of F-35 fighter jets in Vermont. First Lt. MIKEL ARCOVITCH, spokesperson for the Guard, acknowledged Galloway’s account. “I made the recommendation” to remove Digger from the contact list, he said. “The job of the public information officer is to provide information to the public in a non-biased manner. There have been a couple of times when Digger has completely misled their readers … We felt the professional relationship is a two-way street.” Galloway seems a bit bemused by the situation. “They said we asked pointed questions. That’s kind of our job,” she noted. A pesky media outlet may be the least of the Guard’s concerns. Gov. PHIL SCOTT has already expressed his deep concerns about the events described in the Digger series, called for the closure of a pilots’ bar called the Afterburner Club and announced that current Guard chief, Maj. Gen. STEVEN CRAY, would not seek another term next year. State lawmakers, meanwhile, are preparing to investigate the Guard on a number of fronts. “I’m certain there will be consequences,” said Senate Majority Leader Balint. “There’s a lot in that series, and it touches on so much of our work.” Rep. TOM STEVENS (D-Waterbury), vice chair of the House Committee on General, Housing and Military Affairs, noted that lawmakers have passed bills in recent years designed to protect those who complain of sexual misconduct. “This series shows there is still a price to pay for reporting this behavior, and that’s what we’ve tried to prevent,” he said. “Clearly, we need to see the Guard institute these policies in a meaningful way.” Balint foresees hearings about an array of issues, from fiscal mismanagement to the Guard’s treatment of women. “For many of us women, there was a collective heavy sigh,” she said. “Really? Are we still there? Nothing has changed?

“We feel weariness and deep frustration,” she continued. The new legislative session is likely to be very uncomfortable for the Guard, which usually enjoys a warm reception in the Statehouse. Its petulant reaction to the Digger series seems to indicate that the Guard’s leadership is either in denial, or believes it can ride out the situation with a display of shiny medals.

Media Notes

Changes are afoot in the Seven Days newsroom. The paper has hired three new reporters to replace one alreadydeparted writer and two others who are soon to leave these pages. CHELSEA EDGAR, who had been freelancing for our arts and culture desk since September, joined the staff late last month. A Middlebury College graduate, Edgar previously contributed to BuzzFeed and Philadelphia magazine and interned for NPR’s “All Things Considered.” She replaced RACHEL ELIZABETH JONES, who departed in October to work for a local artist. Next we say hello to DEREK BROUWER, a Montana journalist who spent the past three years at the alt-weekly Missoula Independent. His job ended abruptly in September when owner Lee Enterprises — which also owns the town’s daily paper — shut down the Independent. Brouwer replaces staff writer MARK DAVIS, who’s leaving us after five years to become assistant news editor at Vermont Public Radio. Finally, as Fair Game readers learned last month, staff writer ALICIA FREESE is leaving for the adventure of a lifetime: an open-ended trip to Central and South America. Her replacement on our political team, KEVIN MCCALLUM, is noteworthy for two things. First, he was part of a team at the Santa Rosa, Calif., Press Democrat that won a 2018 Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the 2017 wildfires that ravaged Sonoma County. He’s been a reporter for some 20 years — but that’s not the second notable thing. No, that would be his family’s decision to pull up stakes, buy an RV and embark on a months-long, cross-country trek with the idea of finding work in New England. (He grew up in Connecticut, and the Northeast’s pull is strong.) Freese and Davis will leave Seven Days at the end of the year. Brouwer and McCallum join us after the holidays.

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Pop. Drop

How the Green Mountain “baby bust” is changing one Vermont town S TO RY & PHOT OS BY MOLLY WALSH

he only public playground in Guildhall is gone now. So are the baseball field, the school and most of the children. The town of 255 people in the Northeast Kingdom is feeling the impacts of Vermont’s low birth rate. Many of the local institutions and traditions that once served families and children have withered, and it’s rare to see a parent pushing a baby stroller at the green in the center of town.

lumber truck rumbled past and crossed the Connecticut River, which hugs the town. Few people were going in or out of the handsome historic buildings alongside the green. The walkway to the ornate, butter-colored library was snow-covered; the building closes for the winter. The general store shut down in 2007, and old refrigeration units sat on its sagging porch. The Essex County Courthouse, one of the town’s most vital institutions, is still open full time. So is

Deaths are outpacing births in Essex County, where 6,176 people lived in 2016, according to the health department’s vital statistics. Seventy-six residents took their last breath and 53 took their first that year, the most recent data show. That same year, the two most popular baby names in the state were Owen and Charlotte. But in at least half a dozen Essex County towns, residents didn’t pick any names because no children were born. Ferdinand, Granby, Norton and Victory had

NEWS

Without really trying, Guildhall has turned into a “retirement-type community,” said George Blakeslee, town clerk and treasurer. And that changes things. “People here are older and have lower energy levels,” he explained. “There used to be a hunters’ supper; there used to be a Mother’s Day breakfast, fundraisers for the library. None of that’s happening anymore.” Last Thursday, the village green was quiet. Heavy, wet snow covered the ground, and a wisp of woodsmoke floated from the chimney of a white clapboard house with green shutters. A 16

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

the sheriff ’s office. But together, they employ just a handful of people. Vermont’s birth rate is at its lowest point since reliable record keeping began in 1880, according to the state Department of Health’s records. The rate, which peaked at 24 per 1,000 residents in 1955, had sunk to 9.2 by 2016. The baby bust is even more pronounced in Essex County, a heavily wooded, sparsely populated landscape below the Canadian border and alongside New Hampshire. While a few areas of Vermont, such as Chittenden County, are experiencing modest population growth, it’s declining in much of the state.

population has never topped 1,000. About 20 children live there today, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. But back in the day there were more. In 1879, 130 schoolchildren attended a half-dozen oneroom schoolhouses, according to town records. Additional students attended high schools, or “academies,” as they were often called, out of town. The small schoolhouses gradually consolidated into two buildings, and then one in 1957, for grades K through Guildhall town clerk and treasurer George Blakeslee

zero births. Brighton and Lunenburg tied for the most births in Essex County: 12 each. Guildhall had two. Times have changed in town, according to Patricia Rogers, who grew up on a local farm in the 1950s and authored History of Guildhall, Vermont in 1975. During her youth, children gathered for Sunday school and sang in the choir at the Guildhall Community Church, which no longer serves as a house of worship and is owned by the Essex County court system. Schoolchildren crowded the town hall stage each December to put on a holiday show. But that’s just a memory now. Guildhall has always been a small town. Since it was chartered in 1761, the

8. High school students were tuitioned out, and most attended schools in New Hampshire. Rogers remembers the 1957 school as a small but bustling place. But by 2016, the numbers had dwindled to just 20 students, and Guildhall Elementary School closed. The building is now a private residence. The playground equipment on the former school grounds has been taken down, and the baseball field is closed to the public. Families now have the option to tuition their children in all 12 grades to schools of their choice. Rogers, who still lives on her family’s farm, said she received a good education

in the small-school environment of her youth. But these days, families seem to want a bigger school with more offerings, she suggested. Rogers believes that was a major factor in the shrinking and then the closure of the local school, as well as the broader trend of fewer local children. Once a town is school-free, of course, it’s not as appealing to young families, said David Snedeker, executive director of the Northeastern Vermont Development Association in St. Johnsbury, which works to stimulate the economy. Others say the primary reason young adults are scarce in Guildhall is a shortage of good local jobs. “And the ones that are here, they don’t pay enough to support a family,” said Maureen Blanchard. For three decades, she has operated Maureen’s Family Home Child Care in Canaan, north of Guildhall.

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Most of the dairy farms in the area have gone out of business, and this year, longtime local grower Peaslee’s Vermont Potatoes auctioned off its equipment, too. A “For Sale” sign marks the property in the flat river valley fields just south of the village. The paper mill across the Connecticut River in Groveton, N.H., shut down 10 years ago. Major employers include the Ethan Allen furniture company, which has a workforce of about 465 people — mostly in Orleans, with some based in Beecher Falls. But the company has cut many jobs. When Blanchard’s husband got laid off, he was able to switch careers and become a licensed practical nurse. But not everyone manages to find new work, she said. And while newer businesses do crop up, such as the Sweet Tree Holdings maple syrup company in Island Pond, which employs about 75 people, there are few options compared to more urbanized areas.

Instead, the state seems to continuously create commissions of people who ask Guildhall if it needs better internet and then don’t make it happen, Blakeslee said in frustration: “It’s one of the things: If you build it, they’ll come.” But will they reproduce? A packed, full-size school bus from the Canaan Schools used to deliver children to Blanchard’s facility. These GUILDHALL days, the kids arrive in a 2012 pop.: 260 half-size yellow bus that has 2016 pop.: 255 just a few children on board, she said. At the North Country Moose Festival in late August, children used to line up for the bouncy castle. Not anymore, she said. There just aren’t as many youngsters around. “It makes me sad, personally,” Blanchard said. “I love children. I had four of my own.” Few parents these days have that many, Montpelier she observed: “When somebody says they are having a third child, I almost fall flat on my back.” Families are more likely to fracture these days, which also has an impact, Blanchard said. “It seems like relationships in general don’t last very long, so there’s that instabillost > 5% ity at home,’’ Blanchard said. She’s cared lost > 1% for children of parents who say they’d like lost 1% to gained 1% to have another child. “But they weren’t gained > 1% in a stable relationship when they had the gained > 5% first one, and they are not in a stable relano data available tionship now, so they aren’t having that second child.” SOURCE: VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH/ U.S. CENSUS BUREAU ESTIMATES In Guildhall, most of the people who move to town arrive with graying hair, not toddlers. It’s difficult to fill slots on the selectboard and the cemetery commission, and a few volunteers wear many hats. That concerns Blakeslee. Brattleboro “I do worry about what’s going to happen,” he said. “I’m 70, and most of them are older than me.” Perhaps the younger generation just weren’t so spotty and the internet so slow, doesn’t see a way to support children Blakeslee suggested. in Guildhall, Blakeslee added: “All the The former education professor, who young people, what ones we have, as moved to town from suburban Boston soon as they get out of high school, they after he retired, said his adult children are gone.” who live in big cities would consider settling in Guildhall if the town grew a Contact: molly@sevendaysvt.com high-tech economy.

Population Change in Vermont Towns, 2012-2016

City of Rutland

Many people commute to jobs in New Hampshire, where there are schools, a hospital, stores and other businesses. Sometimes, a worker from out of state will accept a job, but his or her spouse won’t be able to find one, so they will decide to move elsewhere, said Snedeker. It would help if the cellphone service

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

Can Cannabis Save the General Store? Vermont’s hometown retailers must innovate to survive S TO RY & PHOT OS BY SASHA GOLDSTE IN

ack Keefe doesn’t smoke much weed, but he sure would like to sell it. The middle-age proprietor of the Jacksonville General Store displays plenty of local products inside his 1,600-square-foot shop. So why not Green Mountain State-grown cannabis? After all, Vermont legislators are likely to consider legalizing pot sales during the upcoming session. “My 18-year-old self is thrilled at the prospect of being a legal dealer,” Keefe quipped. “I think of the prospect as a way to get more customers into the store.” That’s an important consideration for owners like him.

BUSINESS

ABOUT 70 TO 75 GENERAL STORES REMAIN IN THE STATE.

APPROXIMATELY 30 HAVE GONE UNDER IN JUST THE LAST DECADE.

Once a staple in nearly all of Vermont’s 200-plus towns, about 70 to 75 general stores remain in the state. Approximately 30 have gone under in just the last decade. The ones that survive and thrive find a niche “that will generate some cash flow and some profit,” observed Paul Bruhn, executive director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont. The Castleton Village Store, he said, has “one of the best wine selections in the state.” In North Hero, the Harborside Harvest Market offers a popular takeout prime rib dinner each Friday night. In Norwich, Dan & Whit’s operates on a simple motto: “If we don’t have it, you don’t need it.” What people do need are the stores themselves, Bruhn said. “They add to community vibrancy, civic life, civic discourse and they’re the places where everybody in the community connects with each other,” he said. “At the same time, they’re very hard businesses. They’re a little bit like running a dairy farm. It’s 24-7. They’re challenging to make work in 18

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

Jack and Tom Keefe

Jacksonville General Store

the world of retail today. But that doesn’t make them any less important.” It helps to have some key “magnet items,” according to Jack Garvin, who has been a leader in the Vermont Alliance of Independent Country Stores and manager of the Warren Store since 1980. Vermont craft brews have attracted customers to his market. Sean Lawson, internationally acclaimed for his line of Lawson’s Finest Liquids, lives and brews locally, and the

Warren Store often stocked his soughtafter Sip of Sunshine. But just last month, Lawson’s opened an instantly popular taproom and retail shop in nearby Waitsfield. In turn, canned Sip sales at the Warren Store have plummeted, and Garvin’s looking to make up the lost revenue elsewhere. “You can’t be complacent. You need to try to be innovative,” Garvin said. “Customer service is absolutely No. 1:

offering a variety of products, trying new things ... You fail fast and fail cheap, or you find something that connects.” In Jacksonville, a village within the town of Whitingham, Keefe thinks marijuana could be his magnet item. He’s owned his shop since 2013. Stocked with wine, produce, meat and dry goods, it’s more of a small grocery than an oldfashioned general store filled with knickknacks and random doodads.

Keefe makes a living, he said, but not much of one. He believes cannabis would ensure the survival of a store that is central to the town’s existence. “Country stores have done this forever — sold local produce,” Keefe said. “I can sit on my porch and hit a golf ball and hit five people who are growing weed.” Like many Vermont towns, Whitingham is out of the way — unless you’re en route to Mount Snow or the Harriman Reservoir. Its declining population, especially in the younger demographic, has resulted in school consolidation. More houses now serve as second homes and are often dark. For Keefe, creativity is as important as stocking his shelves. “Amazon is not just crippling malls; it’s having its way with small country stores, as well,” he said. Selling cannabis “would help stem the tide, help reverse the bleed.”

diagnosed with cancer. He died that December. The store was shuttered for a few months until historical society board members Lyssa Papazian and Betsy MacIsaac reopened it, working as unpaid comanagers. Closing was not an option for what has long proven to be the center of the town. “Psychologically, it would be a big blow,” said Papazian. Locals have flocked to the store for years. The Viagra Club, a group of mostly octogenarian men, meets there weekly for coffee. While the place was being rebuilt, the old-timers set up lawn chairs out front and sipped java from thermoses. People desire these meet-ups, but many Vermont villages have lost their downtown economic cores — and Putney, Papazian said, struggles. “We’re just holding on by the skin of our teeth,” she said. “We’re too small to be big and too big to be small. It’s like

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‘Holding On’ in Putney

Thirty miles northeast of Whitingham, the Putney General Store calls itself the oldest in Vermont. Since 1796, the store has existed in some form on the corner of Main Street and Kimball Hill, smackdab in the center of town. On a recent Monday, workers in neon vests marched across Main Street from the Soundview Paper plant and streamed inside. Cars with out-of-state plates were parked out front, and locals took a load off on diner stools at the window. During the last decade, misfortunes have beset the historic store. An apparent accidental fire forced it to close in 2008. The Putney Historical Society bought it to rebuild. But an arsonist struck in 2009, and this time it burned to the ground. The historical society vowed again to build, and it did, reopening the store in 2011. Jim Heal took over in 2013. He operated the store and a pharmacy on the second floor until 2016, when he was

a downtown that is improbable and shouldn’t exist, and we’re trying to keep it here as long as we possibly can because it means something.” Now they’re at a figurative crossroads. The historical society agreed to operate the store for a year, but it’s been nearly two. The group would like to find a tenant who can run the store. Papazian admits the business is operating at a slight loss but says an entrepreneur could sharpen a pencil and cut the fat. Papazian and MacIsaac have their own ideas. Finding a second-floor tenant is one. And someone could run a small-production food business out of the underused kitchen, Papazian said. The comanagers have advertised for an operator and recently put up a display about the store at the Vermont Welcome Center along Interstate 91 in Guilford. GENERAL STORES

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As the town’s retailers have shut- Brownsville Butcher & Pantry tered, the remaining ones have revived the Putney Business Alliance, intended to bolster the fortunes of the entire area. It hasn’t saved everyone. In October, Basketville, a venerable Putney landmark for more than 60 years, announced it would close by year’s end. The general store itself faces competition from just down Main Street — the Putney Food Co-op, which offers some similar goods and prepared foods. How can Papazian and MacIsaac compete? “We kind of always feel overwhelmed,” Papazian admitted. “It’s hard to keep things running and make sure it’s doing the best it can, and then try to imagine what else you can add to the mix.” She noted: “It’s a very lowP e t e r margin business, and you have to Peter Varkonyi Varkonyi and be sharp.” Lauren Stevens aren’t taking over ‘Real Food’ in Brownsville a general store — While the Putney General Store is going they’re reinventing the through a midlife crisis, the Brownsville entire concept. They’re offering some Butcher & Pantry is just learning to items found at chain grocery stores, along crawl. The shop opened on November with “the experience and connection to 20 and resembles a gourmet market: the food you might experience at a farmpine flooring throughout, white subway ers market or co-op,” said Varkonyi. tiles behind the fresh seafood counter, For nearly 50 years, the Brownsville local produce displayed in gleaming General Store sold cigarettes, lottery refrigerated cases, and a café with local tickets, gas and other goods at the same beers on tap that will soon serve three Route 44 site. More recently, it had lost meals a day. some of its luster, according to resident 20

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

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With support from Bruhn at the Preservation Trust, Nesbitt and other locals created the Friends of the Brownsville Store, an LLC that solicited investors large and small. The group bought the building, paid for much of its renovation and interviewed 20 applicants interested in running the store. They settled on Varkonyi, a New England Culinary Institute-trained chef, and his fiancée, Stevens, a farmer

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Chris Nesbitt. The closure of the Ascutney Mountain Resort ski area in 2010 hit the area like an avalanche, and by 2017 the general store also closed, and was in foreclosure. Brownsville, a village within the 1,100person town of West Windsor, became a food desert. Many residents headed to Claremont, N.H., to shop. “There was a hole in town,” said Nesbitt. “Sometimes you take things for granted and you don’t recognize what you had ... The longer it was closed, the more you realized how important it was. There was a lot of energy in town to take control of our own destiny.”

with deep connections to local growers. The couple picks what to stock and sell, with some input from the LLC. The plan calls for the operators to eventually buy the building. It’s a community hub where people can “get some necessities,” Nesbitt said. Residents pushed for a coffee counter so there would be a gathering place for everyone. That said, it’s hard to imagine a construction worker scooping up some Urfa Biber Turkish Chili Flakes, available in the bulk spice section. “It’s a smoky chile flake,” Stevens said with a laugh. “Peter has a tendency to shock me. I’m not the cook.” In keeping with the store’s emphasis on local products, chef Varkonyi butchers premium grass-fed beef on-site. During a visit last week, a patron nursed a beer at the bar and used the free Wi-Fi, courtesy of ECFiber, the regional, community-owned highspeed internet provider. Stevens greeted customers and stocked shelves, while Varkonyi told others about his food plans. Susan Odden, a Brownsville resident and nutritionist, glowed as she wandered the store, picking up a bottle of kombucha and other local goods. She said she valued the store because of its high-quality meat, and “there’s real food here,” she said. “It’s updated; it’s paying attention to what people want and what’s good for people to eat.” Odden could hardly contain her excitement as she headed for the register. “I won’t even look at the bill,” she said, motioning as if handing over a credit card. “I’m serious! It’s investing. It’s investing in the community.” Contact: sasha@sevendaysvt.com

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EDUCATION

Holland Elementary School

School’s Out L

ast year, second and third graders at Vermont’s Holland Elementary School rejected their teacher’s lesson plan and proposed one of their own — to write a history of Holland. According to the staple-bound book they published, the remote town on the Canadian border started its first school in a barn in 1811. By 1882, it had eight schools, which cost a collective $940.67 to run that year. As it turns out, the 10 students who wrote that book will be part of a pivotal new chapter for Holland; they’re among the last kids to be educated there. In September, residents fearing that the state would force their district to merge with a nearby one voted to close the town’s only remaining school next summer. The school, which serves 45 students from pre-K to sixth grade, is the center of civic life in Holland. It is, in fact, the only secular gathering spot in town. “We don’t have a post office. We don’t have a general store. We don’t have anything except the school, a town shed and the church,” said school board chair Lincoln Petell. 22

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

“This is the hub of the community,” confirmed school principal Kelli Dean. Throughout the year, spaghetti dinners, bingo nights and craft fairs serve both as school fundraisers and a reason for residents to come together. “When we have a Christmas concert, the gym is packed,” Dean said. The single-story, warehouse-like building will remain, but the main reason to congregate there — the kids — will have gone away. What does that mean for this tiny Orleans County outpost? “Personally, I feel like the town is going to fall apart without the school,” said Suzie Moulton, who’s lived in town for 39 years and driven the school bus for 27. Every December, she ferries the students around town to sing carols to elderly residents. Moulton’s daughter, who went to the school, now teaches there. “I just feel like everyone is going to go their separate ways,” Moulton said. In its heyday, Holland had multiple farms and sawmills, two stores, and a creamery. According to U.S. Census Bureau figures, the town’s population peaked in 1880 at 913. Then the sawmills shut down;

later, dairy farms began to dwindle. Today, only seven farms remain, and the population hovers at just over 600. “People have just been scattering to the wind,” Petell said. Last week, the only signs of life in the snow-blanketed town were at the elementary school. Nine children hoisted large clumps of snow and scrambled up

WE DON’T HAVE ANYTHING EXCEPT THE SCHOOL, A TOWN SHED AND THE CHURCH. L INC O L N P E TE L L

banks under the watchful eye of Moulton, who was subbing for the pre-K teacher. Inside, Jason Marcoux was busy preparing Southern chicken and rice bowls for lunch; later that afternoon, the school chef would teach a cooking class. Holland’s custodian also doubles as a teacher. “Those lines get really blurred in a community this small,” said Dean, who

How a cluster of Northeast Kingdom towns is coping with consolidation B Y A L I C I A F R EES E

described her own role as “more social worker than principal.” Dean works with the state Department for Children and Families to find counselors for kids, and she and other school employees go out of their way to provide food, clothes, rides and any other necessary supports to struggling families. That informal social service network may not outlive the school. “The ripple effect is greater than what people realize,” Dean said. Holland residents worry that the extra distance will make it harder for parents to stay involved in their children’s education. Some are also concerned that the absence of a school will discourage new families from moving to town. Many put the blame for Holland’s predicament on Act 46, the state’s sweeping school-district consolidation law. Residents voted to close the school after the education secretary recommended in June that Holland merge with Derby. “Before some yo-yo in Montpelier says, ‘You’re going to close and merge with this school,’ we wanted to do as much as we could on our own,” Petell said. “By voting to close the school and tuition our kiddos to Derby, we still have

PHOTOS: DON WHIPPLE

a little bit of voice in our kids’ education and what happens to our school building.” The Derby Elementary School is 10 miles from the Holland school, though students in the farther reaches of town will have longer to travel. The town already sends its older students to North Country Union Junior High School in Derby and North Country Union High School in Newport. In the end, the State Board of Education voted this month against the secretary’s recommendation to force Holland to merge. Even so, the town is staying the

just shut that other barn down to save on electricity,” Petell said. “It’s becoming harder and harder for a town this small to feel like they’re making their own decisions,” he said. At the same time, the value placed on local autonomy has grown, according to John Castle, superintendent of the North Country Supervisory Union, which includes Holland. “The once self-sufficient Vermont rural villages are no longer economically independent,” he wrote in a document sent to state officials in response to Act 46. “Yet, this loss of economic independence has had the primary effect of Chef Jason Marcoux at the Holland Elementary School cafeteria

reinforcing and expanding the importance of an independent, locally controlled school system. The schools, along with the town meeting, represent the last vestige of localism and self-governance in much of rural Vermont.” Castle himself attended Holland Elementary School; he later sent his children there and served for several years as its principal. The superintendent, who still lives in town, suggested that the state should Principal Kelli Dean (left) do more to support, rather and secretary Nikki Bickford than discourage, small schools. “I think community is course. In part, that’s because declin- much like health,” he said. “We don’t ing enrollment would have forced the appreciate it until we lose it.” school to shut down soon anyway, Petell Holland is hardly the only town acknowledged. confronting existential questions in That reality has done little to temper response to what some residents consider residents’ resentment toward state a growing hostility toward small schools. officials, who, in this corner of the state, In the rural Northeast Kingdom, those are often regarded as out-of-touch concerns are particularly pronounced: Of bureaucrats. the 29 school districts that have pledged Holland’s decision would seem to be to take the state to court over Act 46, 13 self-defeating, but residents were also hail from the region. Some, such as Irastrying to preserve a sense of self-deter- burg, have been ordered to merge with mination. “We’re not a herd of cows that you can just move into another barn and SCHOOL’S OUT » P.24

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School’s Out « P.23 other districts under the new law. While state officials maintain that Act 46 is not intended to force schools to close, many people don’t buy that. Other towns worry that the state will terminate their small-school grants, which amounts to a lifeline in some cases. Lawmakers have periodically tried to phase out these grants, which were created as part of the state’s earlier landmark education law, Act 60. The newer law, Act 46, guarantees that money on an ongoing basis to districts that voluntarily merge, but other districts have no such assurance. Losing the $108,000 grant would be a tough blow for nearby Charleston. The town of 1,000 operates a pre-K-8 school with 110 students. As in Holland, the school is the heart of the community. “Anything that the community does is pretty much tied directly to the school,” said Charleston School Board member Pat Austin. “Almost everybody that lives in Charleston has some sort of affiliation with kids in the building, or they went

to school there themselves,” said Jason Brueck, the school board chair. And like Holland, Charleston doesn’t have much else. “We have no industry in the town. We have a store and 10 to 15 farms,” Austin said. He feels strongly about holding on to the institution. “The school’s not going anywhere,” he said. In several Kingdom communities that have closed their schools in the past decade, there’s no consensus about what the move has meant for the towns. East Haven, which has about 300 residents, decided to shutter its elementary school in 2011 after the student body dropped to 11 kids. Two of its classrooms have been converted into a town library; in a third room, exercise classes for the elderly take place twice a week. Residents say closing the school actually brought more families to the town.

School board member Donna Loynd said the number of students living in the town has grown to 35, and multiple parents have cited school choice, which provides tuition vouchers for students to attend their preferred public or private school, as the reason they relocated to East Haven. The arrival of new families hasn’t necessarily bolstered East Haven’s sense of community. Not all of the older residents have been thrilled by the additional youth, whom they feared would drive up property tax bills. “It’s not as tight-knit as it once was,” East Haven Selectboard chair Kirwin Flanders said of the town. “The townspeople don’t necessarily get together.” Nearby Norton, which has fewer than 200 residents, closed its elementary school around the same time. Up until last year, it rented the space to the local historical society, according to assistant town clerk Betsy Fontaine, but

OF THE 29 SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE PLEDGED TO TAKE THE STATE TO COURT OVER ACT 46,

13 HAIL FROM THE NORTHEAST KINGDOM.

the group disbanded. It, too, suffered from declining membership. The town of Morgan, which borders Holland, closed its elementary school in 2012. Students now go to school in Derby, and the town rents the building to the Turning Points School, which teaches students with emotional and behavioral problems. Morgan can still use the facility for public events, including town meeting. “Everybody’s used to it now, I guess,” said Morgan Selectboard chair Robert Guyer. Morgan is home to Lake Seymour, which attracts an influx of out-of-towners during the summer. It also features the Morgan Country Store, a cozy shop run by two sisters, which serves as a post office, weigh station, local watering hole and town square. In Holland, where there’s no such equivalent, Petell hopes residents will still come together, even if it requires greater effort. “It really hurt,” he said of the decision to close the school. But “we’re also a tough bunch of meatheads, and we’ll make it through.” Contact: alicia@sevendaysvt.com

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Greensboro’s ‘Globe’ Highland Center for the Arts shines a spotlight on Kingdom culture BY CH E LSE A EDGAR PHOTOS: JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

reensboro, population 762, has long had a reputation as a hideaway for well-to-do secondhome owners and highbrow luminaries. Wallace Stegner, William Rehnquist and Margaret Mead, to name a few, have all summered in this sleepy Northeast Kingdom outpost on the shores of Caspian Lake. Now, Greensboro is also becoming known as a cultural destination, thanks to the $14 million Highland Center for the Arts. The über-plush performance and event space was funded by a gift from an elusive London businessman named Andrew Brown, who prefers to remain out of the spotlight. Executive director Annie Houston, who joined the Highland staff at the beginning of 2018, said that Brown’s goal was simple: to create a community hub around the region’s vibrant arts scene. Bread and Puppet Theater, Circus Smirkus, Vermont Vaudeville and the Craftsbury Chamber Players are all tucked away in nearby hills. In Brown’s view, what people lacked was a central gathering place to see what the Northeast Kingdom has to offer — and to connect with each other, Houston said. “Sixty years ago, people around here went to church to see their neighbors and convene,” she continued. “In the 21st century, we don’t have congregations like that. For Andy, the idea was for this to become the place where people find that kind of community.” Since its official opening in June 2017, the Highland has had a full slate of programming — including performances by the Opera Company of Middlebury, the Vermont Shakespeare Festival’s production of The Taming of the Shrew, and silent films with an improvised live score played on the resident Steinway by pianist Joe Davidian. The 250-seat performance space, modeled after the Globe Theatre in London, was initially going to be the Highland’s main attraction. But as the project evolved, Houston explained, the board wanted the building to accommodate more than just the performing arts. “There’s really nothing we can’t do in these facilities,” she said. (Having a patron with very deep pockets doesn’t hurt.)

Annie Houston

THERE’S TRULY SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE HERE. ANNIE H O U S T O N

PERFORMING ARTS The 26,400-square-foot structure houses a 100-seat performance space, a 40-seat restaurant and an art gallery, as well as the round theater at its center — which, after a recent heavy snowfall, resembled a massive frosted cupcake. Except for Mondays, the Highland maintains a full schedule nearly every night of the week, with Tuesday trivia, Wednesday

movies, yoga classes, community workshops and artist lectures. On the Friday after Thanksgiving, Highland hosted a screening of The Big Lebowski and served movie-themed white Russian cocktails. (The measure of the evening’s success? “The bartenders kept running out of half-and-half,” Houston said.) Houston, 34, grew up in nearby Craftsbury and spent her early years handing out programs at Craftsbury Chamber Players concerts in the

Hardwick Town House. After graduating from the University of Vermont, she earned a master’s in arts administration at Boston University and worked in the field for nearly a decade in New England. When a childhood friend sent her the posting for the executive director position at Highland, Houston had no idea the gig would turn out to be a dream job. For her, the deciding factor was the Highland board’s commitment to making year-round residents and second-home owners feel equally at home. “Greensboro carries this stigma: This is where people with a lot of money come,” Houston said. “I wanted to make sure this was really meant for everyone.” When the building was completed, Houston noted, locals were a little wary of its grandiosity. “People thought it would be elitist, too highbrow, something they wouldn’t understand. There was a fear that we would steal the summer chamber concerts from the Town House,” she said. “But our goal was to be inclusive, to build partnerships with local talent and business, and create an all-boats-rise situation. “So far,” Houston added, “I think we’ve been able to achieve that. There’s truly something for everyone here.” One case in point: On a recent weekday afternoon, a dedicated cohort of parents braved a snowstorm to bring their middle-school-age boys to an improvisation workshop. The instructor, a Vermont Vaudeville actor, asked the class to do an exercise in which they had to point to an object in the room and blurt out anything except the name of that object. The boys stomped around the performance space in their squeaky rubber boots, mislabeling things with gusto. “Chair!” one screamed at a backpack. Then, at a maximum-capacity sign: “Narwhal!” Another gestured up at the air, filled with the cacophony of adolescent male shouting: “Silence!” Greensboro, quiet? Not anymore. Contact: chelsea@sevendaysvt.com

INFO Highland Center for the Arts, 2875 Hardwick Street, Greensboro. highlandartsvt.org SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

Chelsea’s twin storefronts: the former Chelsea Country Store and Will’s Store

As Goes Chelsea… Can the capital of Orange County keep the lights on?

ill’s Store on the town common in Chelsea is appropriately named — its proprietor, Will Gilman, wanted nothing more in life than to live and work in the town where he was born and raised. Even as a little kid in the Chelsea Public School, he imagined a job that would allow him to stay in town, his dreams extending no farther than the hills that hem in this tiny dairy community in the middle of Orange County. He went as far as Burlington — to attend the University of Vermont — and worked briefly as an accountant before he bought the Federal-style brick store in 1985. But for the past decade or so, he has questioned whether his eponymous enterprise could survive. Gilman said that he and the owners of the adjacent Chelsea Country Store had a running joke about who would “blink first.” Then it happened. When his competitors finally decided to sell last year, they couldn’t find a buyer. Gilman acknowledged in a recent interview that his own store survives because it’s now the only one in town. But his relief is paired with a deep concern that his hometown may be dying, resident by resident, business by business. “It’s helped me out tremendously, but I hate to say that about someone else’s misfortune,” Gilman said of the other store’s demise. Although he uses a wheelchair, the 26

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

S TO RY B Y M A R K D AV I S • P H O T O S B Y D Y L A N K EL L EY

‘There’s Something Here’

Employees at Will’s Store

Will Gilman

62-year-old lives in an apartment above Will’s Store and has found a way to navigate the narrow aisles in his shop, which sells everything from beer and greeting cards to blaze orange hats and DVDs. All across Vermont, rural towns such as Chelsea are imperiled by trends beyond their control. The state’s aging population is more pronounced in these locales, where deaths outpace births, volunteer fire departments are shrinking and fewer

people are heading to church on Sunday. Their local stores are closing; their schools are being consolidated and shuttered. These changes are forcing small-town residents to grapple with fundamental questions: What exactly makes a town a town? Can losing a school or a diner threaten its identity — or, ultimately, its existence? Is there a way to stop what longtime Chelsea defense attorney Don Sedon terms “the rural fadeaway”?

Like so many rural Vermont communities, Chelsea has been hamstrung by geography and the slow, decades-long attrition of small dairy farms. The town is nestled in hills, 20 miles from Barre and more than 30 from the commercial hubs of Lebanon and Hanover, N.H. Chelsea’s population peaked in 1840 at nearly 2,000; the 2010 census counted just 1,238 residents. Last year, the town recorded six births and 18 deaths, according to the town report. An estimated 60 dairy farms once dotted Chelsea, creating an economy robust enough to support a car dealership in town. Chelsea even enjoyed outsize influence in the legislature. It was home to House speaker Walter “Peanut” Kennedy, who presided over the chamber from 1971 to 1975. Now just four dairy farms remain, and no other industry has stepped in to generate the equivalent number of local jobs. When he’s not milking cows alongside his dad, 40-year-old Shannon Doyle makes a few extra bucks working the 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift at Will’s Store. Since 1795, Chelsea has been Orange County’s seat of government, giving it two stable employers: the courthouse and the Orange County Sheriff ’s Department. But in a county of only 29,000 people, in a state where municipal and state officials call the shots, being the capital doesn’t come with

Chelsea Public School principal Mark Blount

End-of-the-day conversation circle at Chelsea Public School

a lot of economic benefit. Rhoda Ackerman, co-owner of the Devil’s Den Farm Homestay Bed and Breakfast, the village’s sole B&B, says most of her customers aren’t tourists or business travelers; they’re people visiting nearby family members. Two churches in town, United Church of Chelsea and Living Water Pentacostal Church, share a pastor for their dwindling congregations. In the last two years, the decline has become undeniable. Within a few months, Chelsea’s lone diner, Dixie’s II, and all D O N S ED ON of Gilman’s competitors — the country store, Flanders Market and the Quik Stop — closed. Before a gas station-deli opened in July 2018 in the Quik Stop’s former location, there was no place for Chelsea residents to get gas within 25 miles. Will’s Store has never had pumps. At around the same time, plunging enrollment drove the Chelsea school

CHELSEA IS LIKE

A FADING PLACE.

district to merge with that of neighboring Tunbridge. As part of the merger, the K-12 Chelsea school closed its ninth through 12th grade programs. Those 63 high school students scattered to schools as far as 40 miles away. The events sparked something of an existential crisis in town. Residents volunteer words such as “stagnant” and “quiet” to describe the vibe. “Chelsea is like a fading place because the population is aging,” said Sedon, who has worked in town for 30 years and represented dozens of Chelsea residents as a public defender. “Twenty-five years ago, you would hear kids. There were still larger families, and we would see a lot of kids and hear them playing on the green. You don’t even see that anymore.” Its troubles haven’t diminished Chelsea’s pride. Residents brag, justifiably, about the town’s unpretentious charm. They eagerly point out that Chelsea has not one, but two town commons — one features the stately courthouse; the other, AS GOES CHELSEA...

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and students, asking for their thoughts about the loss of the high school and whether they would support still more consolidation. The school district is considering combining the middle schools in Tunbridge and Chelsea. It is unclear which community would house the new school should the proposal go through — though Blount noted the Chelsea school has lots of extra room.

A Case Study

Bailey Boardman in the Chelsea Public School hallway

a congregational church — and the village is on the National Register of Historic Places. “Many small towns, you go through them and they don’t have anything,” town clerk Karen Lathrop said. “We’ve got a lot more going on than some places. You can come in and say, ‘OK, there’s something here.’ A lot of towns, you don’t even know you’re there.”

Bye-Bye, High School

The Chelsea school is a monument to the town’s boom-to-bust history. The main building is a classic, two-story barnlike structure topped with a small cupola. In 1978, residents voted to construct a modern addition in order to accommodate the town’s burgeoning student population. At peak enrollment in the late 1970s, it housed 300 students, from kindergarteners to 12th graders. Today, 118 kids roam the school’s halls, which are lined with international flags, group photos of the student body and portraits of Chelsea residents who served in the armed forces. The place feels empty until a gaggle of floppy-haired kids runs by en route to lunch in the basement cafeteria. Under pressure from state regulators tasked with lowering Vermont’s per-pupil spending, Chelsea residents voted 183-132 in January 2018 to merge school districts with Tunbridge, creating the First Branch 28

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

Unified School District. That act eliminated Chelsea’s high school. The 63 students affected were granted school choice, meaning they could enroll in any district high school for which they are eligible, with Chelsea taxpayers footing the bill. School administrators in charge of the remaining students — about half of whom qualify for free or reduced-cost lunches — said the atmosphere in the building has changed, and not for the better.

lives together scattered to 13 different high schools, from Montpelier 30 minutes west to Hanover, N.H., nearly an hour’s drive east. Most chose a school near where one of their parents worked, Farnham said. “It’s been hard to maintain contact with the students they grew up with, people they went to school with for 10 years,” Farnham said. ‘That’s the piece that is missing.” Ask Chelsea residents about the loss of the school, and many start talking about

CHELSEA KIDS WHO HAD SPENT MOST OF THEIR LIVES TOGETHER

SCATTERED TO 13 DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOLS.

The elementary school kids used to worship the older kids, guidance counselor Mindy Farnham said. They’d high five each other in the hallways. Now, “the halls look and feel different. It’s something we planned for, but I don’t think a lot of people understand the impacts on the kids who are still here,” said Farnham, a Chelsea native and 1996 graduate of the high school. She said the remaining students miss the multiage dynamic. Meanwhile, the high schoolers are losing their connections to Chelsea and each other. After the district merger, Chelsea kids who had spent most of their

sports. The games — home and away — were the primary social events in town. During basketball season, for example, the gym was routinely packed, not just with parents and grandparents, but also with locals who wanted to see their neighbors and feel a part of the town. “You can miss people at the store or the dump by an hour. But you get out to a game, even if it’s just one minute of, ‘How are your kids?’ [and] it matters,” Gilman said. “I don’t think [outsiders] know what a school means to a small town.” More changes could be coming. In recent weeks, Chelsea school principal Mark Blount sent surveys to parents

Next door to the school is the other primary source of pride in Chelsea — the Orange County Courthouse. The two-story white clapboard building, built in 1847, presides over the southern common in town and appears straight out of an old-time movie set. At the top of a winding staircase, the main courtroom is appointed with uncomfortable wooden benches, floor-to-ceiling windows and six chandeliers. The court has a bell tower; staffers still ring the bell when a jury returns a verdict in a trial. Once a month or so, when the court holds jury draws in cases headed for trial, downtown shops experience a slight uptick in business. But on most days, the court’s docket features a handful of unremarkable instances of rural crime. On a recent Wednesday morning, a longtime opiate addict struck a plea deal for a three-year sentence for violating his probation by stealing from homes in nearby Washington, and a twentysomething got probation after pleading guilty to lying to cops about crashing his car into a telephone pole. Standing guard in the courthouse lobby was Orange County sheriff’s deputy George Contois, a retired Vermont State Police trooper who has spent the past 18 years working in the building. He chatted amiably with attorneys, clerks, defendants and anyone else who passed through. On a quiet afternoon, a nervous, ponytailed girl of about 6 years came in with her mother, who was meeting with a probation officer. “We like to have little rug rats!” Contois exclaimed. The girl pointed nervously at the gun sitting on Contois’ hip. “It’s my squirt gun!” he said playfully. Between chatting up visitors, Contois explained that he has seen generations of families come through the court. Crime hasn’t really changed much in Chelsea or elsewhere in Orange County, Contois said. But he worries about the future of the community. “There’s not a lot of problems in Chelsea, but there’s also no employment,” Contois said. “Kids have a rough time. If you’re graduating from high school and you’re not going to college, what are you going to do? Where are you going to go?

There are only so many people who can work for the sheriff’s department.” The jobs question proves the most vexing to local officials: How is an isolated community ever going to turn around its population decline if everyone who chooses to stay has to drive 30 minutes or an hour to get to work? It’s already made life more difficult for the all-volunteer Chelsea Fire Department, according to longtime chief John Upham. “You would hear similar things from most small-town departments,” he said. All but a few of his 18 members — of a desired 30 — work outside of town. That means response times are slower than he’d like, especially during the day, said Upham, who works 50 minutes away at Dartmouth-Hitchcock medical center in Lebanon, N.H. He wonders if the volunteer shortages will one day prompt the state to consolidate small-town fire departments as it’s currently doing with schools. Some locals, including Sedon, have suggested that Chelsea open its arms to refugees and New Americans who want to work the land. “Unless you repopulate the countryside with people who want to be there,

Orange County Courthouse and the Chelsea Public School

it’s not going to happen,” Sedon said. “There are people who would be very happy to come here and have a couple acres of land and make it work. All these migrant farmworkers, if they could bring their families here and have their kids go to school, they would do it in a minute. They would grow their food, open cafés, open little shops…”

A good idea, perhaps, but “it’s hard to be an outsider and move into Chelsea,” said John O’Brien, a former substitute teacher at the Chelsea school who was just elected to the legislature to represent neighboring Tunbridge. “The clans are so embedded there. And that goes way back.”

A few niche farmers have successfully put down roots in recent years. Taylor Katz and her husband, Misha Johnson, scoured the Upper Valley region for two years looking for a place to locate their herb-growing operation, Free Verse Farm. They were drawn to Chelsea’s relative isolation, beauty and affordability. Driving its back roads sealed the deal. It “seemed like there was a lot of land for sale,” Katz said. In 2014, they bought a spread at the dead-end of Baraw Hill Road, where they have a nice view of the village but spotty cellphone service. “We didn’t know anyone, and there’s a lot of old Vermonters and old relationships and families,” Katz said. But the couple gradually made friends and has no plans to leave. “We felt like this was a place with a lot of potential for us to grow,” she said.

‘A New Look’

Can the town of Chelsea say the same — that it has potential to grow? That question drew more than 90 people to a potluck in January. AS GOES CHELSEA...

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SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

11/29/18 1:32 PM

Bridgework Ahead

How rural communities are ﬁlling the gaps left by departing dentists B Y K EN P I C A R D PHOTOS: DON WHIPPLE

ennis LeBlanc’s dental practice hasn’t changed much since he first hung a shingle 43 years ago. The 69-year-old Derby dentist has kept abreast of technological advances — dental implants, cosmetic dentistry, better filling and bonding materials, and so on — and his office has expanded to include four dental hygienists. Out in the waiting room, though, LeBlanc’s patients remain the mostly working-class people whose teeth he has been fixing since they were children. In some cases, LeBlanc treated their parents a n d g ra n d p a re n t s. Some who’ve moved away from this Northeast Kingdom town of about 4,600 people on the Canadian border still return to him for routine dental care. On a snowy day last week, one of LeBlanc’s patients had driven 38 miles from Lyndonville; another had trekked 60 miles from East Montpelier. Why? LeBlanc declined to credit his skill as a dentist. “People around here are used to traveling,” LeBlanc said. “And we’ve stayed open to everybody. We don’t ask people if they’re on Medicaid or things like that.” In short, LeBlanc’s family practice is an invaluable community service in a county with few other dentists. So a few years ago, when the Newport native began thinking about his retirement, he knew he couldn’t simply shut his doors. Fortuitously, LeBlanc had a potential replacement in mind: Derby native Brandon Vanasse, a 2016 graduate of Boston University’s Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine and a lifelong patient of LeBlanc’s. It didn’t take much convincing to get Vanasse, an avid runner, skier and cyclist, to return to the area. In August 2016, LeBlanc hired Vanasse as his associate, with the goal of someday selling him the practice. “There are a lot of opportunities when you graduate from dental school,” the 28-year-old dentist said, but “for me, this is home.” LeBlanc was lucky to find a successor who already knew the community and could practice under his tutelage and get to know his patients for a few years before his own retirement. Indeed, Vanasse’s gentle style and soft-spoken temperament are

HEALTH

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

LeBlanc Family Dentistry

Brandon Vanasse and Dennis LeBlanc

so akin to LeBlanc’s that one might easily mistake them for father and son. “They’re really good dentists,” noted Dave Smith, a 51-year-old patient who’s been coming to the Derby practice since he was a child. “It’s a good thing [Vanasse] is here, because it’s less work on LeBlanc … He’s in his sixties and should be retired and enjoying himself in Puerto Rico or something.” That LeBlanc is still practicing in his late sixties isn’t unusual in Vermont. Five of the eight active dentists in Orleans County are over the age of 65, according to a 2017 survey by the Vermont Department of Health. Those figures are consistent with statewide averages. Of Vermont’s 299 general dentists — as opposed to specialists such as pediatric dentists, oral surgeons and periodontists — nearly half are 55 or older, and one in four is over 65. Grand Isle County has no dentists under the age of 60. Simply put, Vermont now has the oldest population of dentists in the country,

according to the American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute. In small towns across the state, when the local dentist retires, often there’s no one to take his or her place. To address this problem, the state’s dental community has come up with an ambitious approach to replace the dentists who leave or retire. The Vermont State Dental Society now has a full-time dental recruitment coordinator, Jenny Pitz, who travels New England trying to sell dental students and established dentists alike on the benefits of working in small towns. Pitz’s work, which is partially funded by a grant from the Vermont Department of Health, “plants the seeds” about setting up shop in Vermont with dental students while they’re still in their first or second year of study. The tagline on her business card reflects her background in marketing: “We’ve got a chair for you.” Pitz has her work cut out for her. As Vaughn Collins, the dental society’s executive director, explained, in some years Vermont has seen as many as 18 dentists retire or move elsewhere. Vermont dentistry hasn’t undergone the kind of changes that have occurred in other medical professions — notably, the consolidation of private practices under a large regional hospital. Nor has Vermont seen an influx of corporate dentistry

chains, such as Aspen Dental and Gentle Dental, Pitz said. Nearly 90 percent of Vermont’s dentists still work in small, privately owned offices; about a third are sole practitioners. It’s not difficult to attract new or established dentists to Vermont’s urban centers, Pitz said. But convincing dentists to move to small communities in the Northeast Kingdom or central Vermont can be a tougher sell, especially when students routinely graduate from dental school with six-figure debts. For example,

VERMONT HAS THE OLDEST POPULATION OF DENTISTS IN THE COUNTRY. LeBlanc recalled that when he graduated from dental school, he owed about $40,000; Vanasse’s debt is about 10 times that figure. Pitz argued that many new dentists mistakenly assume they wouldn’t have the same earning potential in rural communities as they would in big cities. As she often reminds them, their cost of living in more populous places will be much higher — and their earning potential in Vermont is, if not equal to large cities, still competitive. If loan repayment is a major

consideration, Pitz will try to sell them on a loan-forgiveness program that’s available to dentists who accept a job at one of Vermont’s eight federally qualified health centers. As she put it, “It’s something that really gets the eye of students.” How else does she sell dentists on working in a rural setting? Pitz, a New Jersey native and Saint Michael’s College grad who’s been visiting Vermont since she was a child, said the factors that attract new dentists to the state are typically the same ones that attract everyone else: Vermont’s slower pace, easy access to the outdoors, dearth of crowds and traffic, and better overall quality of life. Pitz’s job also involves educating older dentists about the challenges they’ll face when it’s time to find someone to buy their practices. As she explained, many dentists are shocked when they learn how long it can take to find a new associate. Ideally, she said, a dentist who’s looking to retire in the next five to 10 years should start looking now. And, unlike dental practice brokers, who may charge an established dentist $15,000 to find a suitable candidate, Pitz’s services are provided at no cost. Pitz described her job as both “a gatekeeper and a bridge builder.” In May 2016, she got a call from Dr. Katie Piet, a West Virginia dentist who was considering a move to New England and wanted to know what positions were available in Vermont. Of all the states Piet researched, she said, Vermont had the best loan repayment program — and was the only one with a dental recruiter. Though Piet initially considered moving to Chittenden County, she said Pitz “really gauged what we were looking for,” including a small town close to mountain biking, snowshoeing and skiing, and a good school for her thenkindergarten-aged daughter. Pitz immediately connected her with St. Johnsbury Dental Associates, which was looking for another associate.

MOBILE DENTISTRY: SOMETHING TO JAW ABOUT It’s hard to see a connection between teen pregnancy and poor dental health. But in rural central Vermont, hundreds of children, and some adults, now enjoy free dental care thanks to a school-based health clinic that was created in the 1990s to address the former problem and, in the process, took on the latter. The nonprofit HealthHUB School Clinic was founded 25 years ago by Royalton residents who were concerned about a spike in teen pregnancy rates at their high school. At the time, Royalton pediatrician Dr. Rebecca Foulk — she’s now HealthHUB’s medical director — met with other community members to talk about creating a school-based clinic that could better serve teens’ reproductive health needs. While conducting their community needs assessment, they discovered that about one in four students had no dentist or routine dental care. Fast forward to 2008, when Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) helped HealthHUB secure a $94,000 federal grant to purchase a mobile dental hygiene trailer. It features a dental chair, a digital X-ray machine, tools, supplies and a dental hygienist on staff. Today, the trailer routinely travels to about a dozen schools in Orange and Windsor counties, as well as to Gifford Medical Center and Chelsea Health Center, providing dental cleanings, screenings, fluoride treatments, digital diagnostic X-rays and sealants.

“Jenny was so personable and … was super instrumental in bringing me up here,” the 31-year-old dentist added. “To be honest, this was the only interview I did. After I came up here, I knew this was where we wanted to live.” How successful has the recruitment program been? Vermont has maintained level employment in general dentistry and the various specialties in the five years Pitz has been on the job, the dental society’s Collins noted. Though Vermont had two fewer dentists in 2017 than it did in 2015, it also had 22 more dentists who were under the age of 45. Pitz has directly recruited at least 14 new dentists to Vermont in the last three years, as well as several more who are still in negotiations, according to the Vermont

Š e mobile unit addresses the shortage of dental practitioners in central Vermont, as well as the inability of many people to afford preventive care, Foulk said. Š ough all Vermont children have routine dental care covered through Dr. Dynasaur and Medicaid, some dentists won’t accept such patients. “It’s really frustrating when there’s a very good [insurance] benefit for preventive dental care twice a year, but you can’t find a dentist who’s willing to take the insurance,” Foulk lamented. Š e reasons are complex, she said. Some dentists complain that Medicaid reimbursement rates are too low, while others say that Medicaid patients are unreliable and frequently miss or cancel appointments due to transportation or employment problems. Foulk cited the example of a hypothetical parent who lives in Rochester and works in Rutland. To get his or her child to a daytime dental appointment means leaving work, picking up the child, driving to the dentist, then driving the child back to school. “So the parent misses a day of work, and the child misses a day of school. It’s just really difficult for some of these families,” she added. “So bringing [dental] care to where the kids are makes a lot more sense.” Foulk noted that the mobile unit doesn’t have a dentist on board. For that, HealthHUB’s hygienist will refer patients to the Ronald McDonald House Charities’ mobile dental van, which operates out of the Plainfield Health Center. Is mobile dentistry a temporary fix or a permanent solution? “I think it’s a model well-suited to Vermont,” Foulk said. Indeed, by the end of December, the HealthHUB mobile unit will have treated more than 600 patients this year.

State Dental Society. The number of dentist’s licenses issued grew from 14 to 45 between 2014 and 2018. “Are we ahead of the curve? We’re getting there, but we’re not there yet,” Pitz said. Pitz wasn’t responsible for bringing Vanasse back to his hometown; he jobshadowed LeBlanc when he was still an undergraduate and mulling dental school. But she pointed to that practice as an example of the kind of “bridge building” that Vermont needs to invest in if it wants to maintain a stable dental workforce. And some changes come faster than expected. During a reporter’s visit to Derby last week, LeBlanc revealed his retirement plans, which some of his patients didn’t even know: As of January

1, he will step down and Vanasse will take over the practice. The older dentist plans to stay on for an additional three months to help Vanasse with the transition, but he will significantly scale back his current 40-hour workweek. As LeBlanc put it, “There comes a time.” How does Vanasse feel about assuming that responsibility? “There’s a lot to it, but I’ve been here two and a half years and worked closely with Dr. LeBlanc,” Vanasse said. His mentor, LeBlanc, expressed relief that his patients will be in good hands. And he should know — LeBlanc is now one of Vanasse’s patients. “I couldn’t be happier,” he said. Contact: ken@sevendaysvt.com

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SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

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Betting on Bradford

’e Space on Main founder Monique Priestley recommends “giving a shit” B Y H A N N A H PA L M ER EG A N

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

PHOTOS : SARAH PRIESTAP

hings were not looking good for the Upper Valley town of Bradford — population 2,797 — in the autumn of 2015. In August of that year, Hill’s 5 & 10 shuttered after years of declining sales. Since 1959, the family-run shop had proffered everything from rain boots, work gloves and Johnson Woolen Mills jackets to school supplies, fabric by the yard and cookie sheets. Across the street, Perry’s Oil had supplied the community with home heating fuel, a gas station, an appliance store and a liquor outlet for most of a century. A month after Hill’s closed, the Perrys sold their businesses to regional fuel supplier Osterman Propane, which promptly shed all but the propane and heating oil sales. And, just like that, the village’s center of gravity seemed to tip. A space populated by friendly, if struggling, mom-and-pop businesses became a land of empty storefronts. “The whole town was crying,” recalled the Space on Main founder Monique Priestley, seated at a co-working table in the former Hill’s storefront last week. “Or they were coming to [community] meetings and leaving crying. Everyone was super depressed.” Priestley, 32, grew up across the Connecticut River in neighboring Piermont, N.H. She moved to Bradford as a teen, graduated from Oxbow High School in 2004 and then commuted to Lyndon State College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree. Grad school took her to Seattle for a master’s of communication in digital media from Washington State University. A few years later, Priestley returned to Vermont while keeping her Seattle-based job. “I went back and forth between here and there for months at a time. I was basically trying to figure out where to go,” she recalled. But community involvement made her feel “hopeful,” and amid the gloom of late 2015, she found new purpose. That’s when Priestley started putting together the pieces of the nonprofit co-working space she would open in October 2018. Now, in exchange for monthly dues, the Space on Main’s members have access to super-fast internet, 7,000 square feet of common area and private workspaces, a light-filled event space, a conference room, and discounted rates for workshops and classes.

In its second month, the Space on Main has recruited 16 full-time members, and more than 1,000 people have used the storefront for classes, meet-ups and workshops. Maker-space equipment is in the works. In addition to managing day-to-day operations at the Space on Main, Priestley works full time as the digital director for Seattle-based web developer CampusCE. And those are just two of the things she does. In town government, Priestley chairs the boards of civil authority and abatement and is secretary of the Public Safety Commission. She’s president of the Cohase Rotary Club, vice chair of the Bradford Conservation Commission, and secretary of the Cohase Chamber of Commerce and Green Mountain Gamers boards.

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That’s still not all. Priestley is a trustee of the local public library and belongs to the Vermont Council on Rural Development, Global Campuses Foundation, Little Rivers Healthcare, Bradford Business Association, Bradford Planning Commission and Bradford Young Makers Club. She’s a mentor for the Mentoring Project of the Upper Valley and is involved with Leadership Upper Valley and the Vermont Changemakers Table. Last week, Priestly somehow found a few minutes to talk with Seven Days about launching the Space on Main, how to make rural Vermont appealing to young people and what makes small towns tick. SEVEN DAYS: How did you become so involved in civic life? MONIQUE PRIESTLEY: Growing up, my mom ran the Sunday school and organized the town parade, and she volunteered at the library. We were four kids, so we also volunteered — that’s the big reason. I did student council in [high] school, but

Route 5 heading into Bradford

I didn’t do much town-wise until Nancy Jones asked me to join the Bradford Conservation Commission … Then people asked me to join the next thing, and the next thing and the next thing. SD: How is community service different now than it was when you were growing up? MP: I feel like I don’t often see families volunteering as much. When people ask how to get their kids involved, I want to be just like, “You can do this together.” I can’t imagine a local organization that wouldn’t want kids to be a part of these activities. There should be kids running around. SD: Where do you ﬁnd the energy for all the things you do? MP: I love being in a room with a bunch of people who give a shit. They’re there because they want to help, and they want to do something. So the energy leaving a meeting is always so excited and hopeful. And they’re intelligent — even just listening to people debate is a worthwhile thing.

SD: What made you decide to pull the trigger on the Space on Main? MP: I had this retirement goal of starting some kind of center that would have educational offerings on a sliding-fee scale. It was a pipe dream, but I had told [Cohase Chamber of Commerce treasurer] Marvin Harrison about it, and we were at a Bradford Business Association meeting [in late 2015], and Marvin was like, “You should go tell your idea to Angela Wendell [who owns the Hill’s building].” People started gathering around the table… When I got home, I googled “how to start a nonprofit,” and one thing led to another. So I formed a board and did the IRS application. I did a survey and got 85 responses in two days. I went on lots of coffee dates and to people’s houses; I think I had met informally with 300 people by the time we opened. People sat down on the couch with me and cried; they wanted to be engaged with other people, and they didn’t know how. All they really wanted to do is teach somebody a skill or show someone the art they created.

SD: What’s your vision for Bradford’s future? MP: I joined the [town] planning commission a few months ago. The town is planning what it’s going to look like in the next 20 years, and I’m super excited about it. A lot of it is about making a better use of mixed-use buildings. There are areas that are planned [for new development]. Because of what’s happened here with [the Space on Main], a lot of people have come forward to say they want to buy a building and turn it into this or that — a pub, or a B and B, or a sewing-quilting-knitting place. I don’t know if those kinds of projects are moving forward faster now than they were before, but I feel like I’m hearing about them all the time. There’s so much potential here. I feel like it could spiral. SD: How do you make Vermont’s small towns appealing to a new generation? MP: I genuinely think that co-working spaces — or any kind of community center, which will look different for every town — can make a huge difference. People are trying to figure out how they fit in, but many don’t connect through schools or church or town government. So creating those spaces for people to go and network is going to be critical. Growing up in this area, people are always like, “Bradford sucks; there’s nothing to do here.” Actually, there’s often two or three things happening every night — and in random places. I just went to the Cone [Editions] Studio in East Topsham. They’re known internationally for developing a new kind of print technology. People travel from all over the world to go there. SD: Having returned from Seattle, do you miss the big city? MP: It’s so much less physically stressful in the city; I loved the nightlife, and I loved my friends and the hiking. But

getting involved here — even just in little things — just felt hopeful. Especially when things were going shitty in the rest of the world, I saw in Bradford that there could be humanity. I could see the humanity and the good things that could be. SD: Well, that’s a hell of a place to start. Where do you go from there? MP: I’m starting to get involved in statewide boards, so I’ve been driving all around the state a lot for meetings. I like how unique all the downtowns are, [and] seeing the different restaurants and watching a town that you just went to a year ago have a completely different vibe a year later. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like everything’s energized right now. Each of [the statewide projects I’m involved with] is figuring out what’s needed in different areas. These programs are all young people just coming together. It’s super cool to walk into a room that’s full of young people wanting to be involved. SD: Any parting words for folks who might like to be more involved with their communities? MP: I feel like so many groups are yearning for new faces; they want to see change, and they want your energy. You just have to express an interest, and people will listen to it. And you have to go in genuinely wanting to help. So, saying you want to change this thing that’s been in place for 50 years — you need to commit to doing the work. It’s more than just opening your mouth with an idea. Do stuff. Get off your fucking couch. Just try things. The first step is to go to a community meeting. Once people finally do show up, they usually end up staying. Contact: hannah@sevendaysvt.com

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SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

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Alternate Utopia Can four Vermont towns plan a future together?

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

only major employer is Vermont Law School in South Royalton, which has recently reported financial difficulties and faculty layoffs. Most residents commute half an hour or more, or work remotely. Not only is there no consensus on how to move forward in the wake of Hall’s departure, but some residents said in interviews last month that they see little need to seek economic or population growth. Rather than sparking a sense of urgency, the developer’s decision to abandon NewVistas led to a collective “sigh of relief,” said Peter Anderson, a member of the Sharon Planning Commission who property-map-borders-FULL (1).pdf

SOURCE: NEWVISTAS

ighland Farm was a deal — at least when a Utah developer bought the 500 acres of forested hillside for a cool $1.4 million nearly three years ago. The Sharon property boasts two ponds, a horse barn, a caretaker’s house and sweeping views of the surrounding valley. It was the crown jewel of the 29 properties that David Hall purchased as part of his vision to create NewVistas, a 5,000acre utopian community for 20,000 people in the towns of Sharon, Tunbridge, Strafford and Royalton. Now Highland Farm is on the market for $2.9 million. In June, Hall abandoned his plan to remake this corner of central Vermont and, soon after, began putting his land and buildings back up for sale. So far, though, no one is buying. In fact, Hall hasn’t gotten a single offer for any of the five more-affordable properties he has listed since August, including 110 wooded acres in Tunbridge for $179,000, a modest house on 54 acres for $250,000 and a 60-acre lot for $160,000. “I’m learning the hard facts of real estate in Vermont,” Hall said in a recent interview. What about the four rural towns that would have been irrevocably changed — perhaps destroyed — by his development? After uniting to fight Hall, the remaining neighbors face a new challenge: strengthening the communities they sought to protect. “When a big proposal comes to town and the community opposes it, it often is a trigger for the community to think about its future on its own,” said Paul Bruhn, executive director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont. “We hope that’s what’s happening.” In a part of the state characterized by widely scattered homes and small, struggling village centers, it’s unclear whether a regional strategy can emerge. By all accounts, the four towns once in Hall’s sights have faced demographic and economic challenges. Three of the towns have seen marginal population growth in the last 20 years; the fourth, Tunbridge, has shrunk. Together, the towns have fewer than 7,000 residents. Hill farms that once dotted the landscape and constituted the local economy have largely vanished. Today, the region’s

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B Y K AT I E J I C K L I N G

never should have been there in the first place,” he said. Small towns, he argued, require “all kinds of traffic, all kinds of oldfashioned farms.” He described the latter as “the worst environmental disasters.” When Sharon librarian Nicole Antal discovered Hall’s purchases in early 2016 and reported her findings on the online news site DailyUV, residents of all four communities mobilized around a common idea: opposition to the NewVistas plan. By then, Hall had already amassed 900 acres. A South Royalton resident launched a Stop the “NewVista” Project Facebook

7:35 PM

David Hall’s Upper Valley Properties The 29 properties in four towns total 1,534 acres. Tunbridge

Strafford

Royalton Joseph Smith Birthplace

171 Chelsea Street

Sharon

also serves on the board of the Two RiversOttauquechee Regional Commission. His characterization of the community’s sentiment? “That was really stupid and crazy, and let’s get back to life as normal.” In 2015, Hall, a wealthy Mormon entrepreneur, began paying cash to snatch up parcels of land and buildings that had lingered on the market for as long as two years. He was drawn to these towns because the Mormon prophet Joseph Smith was born in Sharon, near the geographic center of the four-town region. The Vermont project, based on a document that Smith himself drafted in 1833, was to be one of many such communities around the globe. Hall was unapologetic that his vision for a sustainable community would have destroyed the towns as they now exist. “They need to go the way of the world [and]

IN JUNE, DAVID HALL ABANDONED HIS PLAN TO REMAKE THIS CORNER OF CENTRAL VERMONT AND BEGAN PUTTING HIS LAND AND BUILDINGS BACK ON THE MARKET.

page within hours; the online group quickly grew to 1,200 members. Within days, Tunbridge filmmaker Michael Sacca held a meeting at his house with likeminded opponents. That meeting led to the formation of an opposition group, the Alliance for Vermont Communities. “People were afraid,” Antal said. “It was an immediate response of, ‘What can we do now to prevent this?’” The project was out of scale for the town, said John Echeverria, a professor at Vermont Law School who serves on the board of the alliance. NewVistas was a “destructive, completely misguided” project, he said — and it seemed particularly threatening because it was actually feasible for Hall, a multimillionaire. “He appeared to have the financial resources to be able to impose his will on the community,” Echeverria said.

By the end of 2016, Alliance for Vermont Communities had filed for federal recognition as a 501c3 nonprofit and raised about $88,000, Sacca said. The following year, all four towns passed nonbinding resolutions against the project on Town Meeting Day. Alliance members persuaded the legislature to pass a measure asking Hall “to abandon the NewVistas development.” The group also took steps toward a different kind of future for the region. In June, it raised $293,000 to purchase 218 acres on the Sharon-Strafford border, Sacca said. The land will serve as a town forest with trails for recreation. That parcel, along with two others the alliance helped conserve nearby, created “almost 1,000 acres of essentially contiguous conserved land,” said Echeverria. “I think it’s fair to say that it would not have happened without David Hall.” The alliance successfully lobbied to get the four towns on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s watch list of the most endangered historic places in the country. That June 26 announcement was the final straw for Hall. The designation would prove too significant a hurdle for development, he told Seven Days. He spoke with Bruhn, the Preservation Trust director, that evening and said he was withdrawing from Vermont. He would sell his land for the same price he paid for it, plus expenses, Bruhn said Hall told him. Hall initially hoped to sell all the lots as a package, maybe to “some big real estate firm,” and said he’d be willing to let them go for as little as 80 percent of the purchase price. He got no offers. Then he listed just a few of the properties in August, to prevent flooding the market. None has sold. It’s too early for Hall to worry, according to Kate Jarvis, a real estate broker at Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty in Randolph. She said her agency had sold six properties in Tunbridge, Sharon and Royalton in the last six months. The average time on the market for those properties? 364 days. Hall said he expects the sales process to take four or five years. Sacca, one of the leading opponents to NewVistas, remains suspicious. He won’t be satisfied until Hall’s land is in the hands of new owners, he said. Perhaps, he

Upper Valley Tree Farm suggested, Hall is merely biding his time until the opposition lets down its guard, when he could proceed with NewVistas. “We’re watching,” Sacca warned. But for now, he’s using that anger to try to forge greater unity among the towns. Since June, the anti-NewVistas group has tried to reinvent itself, Sacca said. The group persuaded selectboards from the four towns to invite the Vermont Council on Rural Development to help them explore the region’s future. The council convenes such forums regularly but rarely works with more than one town, said Paul Costello, the organization’s executive director. As a result of NewVistas, “This is an area that’s hungry to think together and lots will come of it,” he predicted. The regional exploration will start in February. The process, which will last more than a year, will include regular community

stuff. Why not put the four towns’ heads together?” He’s met with his planning counterparts in the other three burgs. Ideally, he said, they’d like to bolster the working landscape through agriculture, outdoor recreation and conservation. Those conversations are in the early stages, he said, adding that he hoped Costello’s forums could accelerate the planning process. Change won’t come overnight, warned Chris Wood, a Tunbridge resident and director of the South Royalton-based nonprofit Building a Local Economy. Hall’s project likely brought increased appreciation for the community, “but building local resilience and locally engaged, strong communities is a long process with a long arc,” he said. NewVistas may turn out to be comparable to the “Irene phenomenon,” Wood said, referring to the 2011 tropical storm that devastated the region. “You put up the good fight and all go back to your regular lives,” he said. Antal said much the same thing. Hall represented a clear, imminent threat that galvanized the community in a way that planning for the future does not. “It’s easier to oppose NewVistas because it sounds vague and ridiculous,” she said. “We all want jobs and we all want good schools, but I don’t think people know how to get there.” While she supports the Alliance for Vermont Communities’ efforts, she withdrew from involvement after Hall backed out, Antal acknowledged. She’s not the only one, she guessed. At First Branch Coffee by the South Royalton town green, owner and Tunbridge resident Andy Puchalik said he didn’t expect the alliance to accomplish sweeping changes in town — and that was all right with him. He moved to Tunbridge for the neighborly vibe and bucolic landscape, he said. “It’s nice to have a sense of community, a school, a fair, and not feel like people are coming in to buy up land,” he said. “I don’t really want much more than that, because it’s a small town.” Last year, Puchalik participated in a fundraiser for the alliance in which mountain bikers traversed trails around Tunbridge to highlight the vistas that would have been lost with Hall’s development. Puchalik, who also helps run Upper Pass Beer, sold his brews to raise money for the cause. The third annual ride is already being organized for June, but this time, he said, “it’s more just celebrating what we have.”

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forums in each of the four towns. Residents will brainstorm ideas to revitalize and reinvigorate the region and create task forces to accomplish those goals, Costello said. At similar forums in other towns, residents have considered starting a daycare or community center, or building a bike path. Town and regional officials said it’s too early to predict what results the towns could expect to see. That’s up to the residents who participate, said Peter Gregory, executive director of the Two RiversOttauquechee Regional Commission. Hall has helped residents overcome what can be the biggest challenge: “get[ting] people excited about self-determination,” he said. That’s the first step to increased “engagement in meetings around planning and how to capitalize on the local resources,” Gregory said. “We’re not trying to push the towns together and create some entity [they’re] not,” said Sacca. But “all the towns of Vermont all have common problems: All these taxes and land use and all the regular

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BOOKS

From left: Andrea Jones, Sandy Scott and Linda Ramsdell with canine staffer Boo at Galaxy Bookshop

A Galaxy Close, Close to Home…

Hardwick’s 30-year-old indie bookshop reﬂects lit love and community values B Y E LIZ A BET H M. SEYLE R

ou can’t miss the mural on the far wall of Hardwick’s Galaxy Bookshop. As the moon rises on a snowy evening, animals cavort, constellations sparkle and smiling people move boxes from one building to another. Created by local artist Tara Goreau, the scene depicts a key event in the store’s history, one that offers a glimpse of local values. On Martin Luther King Day in 2009, 80 community members braved temperatures in the negative teens to relocate the Galaxy — every book, shelf and cranny — from the old Merchants Bank building to 41 Main Street. For Galaxy founder and owner Linda Ramsdell, the move to a more visible, slightly smaller space was a shrewd response to industry shifts that have imperiled independent stores across the country. Residents of Hardwick and 10 neighboring towns flexed their collective

muscle to demonstrate their commitment to the bookshop as a cultural and social hub. “It is an important part of why people come to Hardwick,” Ross Connelly said of the Galaxy on a recent shopping trip there. A devoted local patron and reliable book mover, Connelly owned the Hardwick Gazette from 1986 through early 2017. “I very much value and go out of my way to support local businesses,” noted Connelly’s son, Sawyer, also there to shop. He grew up frequenting the bookshop and still supports it from his home in Montana. He said his experiences at the Galaxy were central to “understanding the role that local businesses play and knowing the people that we are supporting.” Hardwick has weathered its share of unpredictable economics. In the 1800s through the early 1900s, the granite industry and agriculture fueled growth there and in surrounding towns. The

Hardwick and Woodbury railroad made the area a commercial center. But the granite industry’s decline through the 1930s destabilized the local economy, which didn’t begin to recover until the past two decades. Some attribute that recovery to agriculture- and food-related businesses, such as the Cellars at Jasper Hill in nearby Greensboro Bend, and organizations, such as the Center for an Agricultural Economy. Others attribute it to cooperative projects, such as the now-closed communitysupported Claire’s Restaurant and Bar, and to local agreement on the value of community resources, such as the Jeudevine Memorial Library and the Galaxy. One thing’s for sure. “Hardwick was not like this when I was a kid,” said Rachel Sharp, a published author who grew up visiting her grandparents in the hardscrabble town on the Lamoille River. She recently moved from

New York City to become the bookshop’s newest staff member. Back then “there was no Scale House,” she said of Hardwick’s newest, über-popular eatery. “It’s nice to come back and see it doing this well.” Whatever the reason for the change in the town’s fortunes, locals are devoted to their bookshop and have had a large hand in shaping it. A carefully arranged maze of shelves in the 700-square-foot retail space holds about 3,500 titles organized into approximately 30 sections. There are books on history, science, poetry and travel, as well as books by Vermont authors, picture books, used books and self-published works. Using every inch strategically, the shop also sells sundries such as note cards, toys, memorabilia and children’s clothing. Among the Galaxy’s most endearing elements are its quirks: the three canvas boards signed by every author who has given a talk or book signing since 2009; the Suggest a Book spot outfitted with tacks and paper so patrons can post recommendations; and Boo, the only canine staff member. “He’s here most days that I’m at work, and he has quite a dedicated fan base,” said Galaxy co-owner Andrea Jones, Boo’s person. “We had to put a sign in the window saying when he’s here and when he’s not, because a lot of people came in looking for him and would get upset if he wasn’t here.” The bookshop offers two to five public events per month, such as author readings, a book club and children’s activities. But Galaxy co-owners Jones and Sandy Scott said the store also offers something less obvious: a third public space beyond home and school or work. “Every day I see people come in and connect with neighbors or strangers who are looking at the same books,” said Scott. Offering a communal meeting place is “a really important role that independent bookstores play.” Fresh out of college, Craftsbury native Ramsdell founded the Galaxy in 1988. An avid reader, she took on the challenge after a friend suggested that Hardwick needed a bookshop. Ramsdell started the business small and grew it gradually, paying careful attention to what patrons wanted the shop to carry. At each business juncture, she gauged local interest and made changes accordingly. “I think of myself less like a born entrepreneur and more as someone who has always loved to read and loved books,” said Ramsdell, seated below the mural. “I wanted to make that world available to other people.” She learned the requisite

GALAXY BOOKSHOP SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

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On Saturday, patrons streamed into the bookshop to celebrate its 30th anniversary. In just an hour and a half of business skills “along the way and by the the daylong fête, about 25 people came seat of my pants.” through. Among the challenges Ramsdell had Sparkling cider, elegant confections to face were those of the digital era. The and balloons fostered conversations and advent of high-speed internet in the transactions. Some customers brought Hardwick area in the 2000s came with a 25-year-old Galaxy tote bags, handnoticeable shift in sales, she said. When painted bookmarks, T-shirts and photos some once-regular customers stopped for a chance to reminisce and receive a coming, Ramsdell condensed inventory special shop coupon. Others chuckled and reduced overhead costs by moving and teared up as they watched the video from the bank building to Main Street. that Jones’ college-age daughter Natalie Her new strategic location, across from had created for the event. Claire’s and between the Whistle Empo“I feel so fortunate that Andrea and rium and the Buffalo Mountain Food Sandy are continuing the bookstore,” Co-op and Café, “made a big difference,” said Ramsdell. “People ask me if I miss she said. MU it, and sometimes I do. But I am RA LB Ramsdell was “open and Y T so happy that I can visit and AR A honest” with customers enjoy all the parts of it about how much she that I always loved.” appreciated their Her favorite activibusiness, she said. ties: opening a box “And our side of that of new books, perusbargain was to make ing advance reader it a place where copies and seeing people wanted to the arrangement on come.” the front table. She also invited By the shop’s people to think about entrance, that table what they wanted “their currently displays town and their streetscape Michelle Obama’s memoir or retail landscape to look Becoming and Madeleine like in the long term. When Albright’s Fascism: A Warnyou forgot you were going ing, alongside Madeleine to a birthday party, do you Kunin’s Coming of Age and want to be able to run to the Erin McCormick’s Classic bookstore and pick up the Diners of Vermont. Just past perfect gift? You can’t do it, handwritten note cards that 20 minutes before the give detailed information party on Amazon,” she said. on staff-selected books. By 2014, Ramsdell “One of our favorite was ready to explore new sections is the staff-picks AN DRE A J ON E S ventures, so she sold the shelf,” said Scott. “It’s a bookshop to Scott and Jones. Scott has pretty good reflection of our staff and our worked full time as a Galaxy bookseller store and what we have to offer.” and events coordinator since leaving Scott and Jones keep tabs on patrons’ college. “It was kind of my dream job,” said interests with the help of six part-time the Walden native. staffers. Between them, they read every Jones, also from Walden, brought book the store carries so that they can experience teaching English at Hazen offer a diversity of knowledge, said Jones: Union High School and working at “Each staff person brings in a different AWARE Domestic & Sexual Violence aspect of the community. Services. She’s always loved the book“I feel really proud of what we’ve done shop, she said, and wanted to be part of here,” Jones continued. “But even bigger its future. than that, I feel proud to be part of the Scott and Jones have carried the Galaxy, because it is so much bigger than Galaxy torch in style. They maintain a this location or this shop or these owners. membership program, collaborate regu- The Galaxy is part of the fabric of this larly with local businesses on events and town, and we are all woven in.” “give thousands a year in donations to local organizations,” said Jones, “through Contact: elizabeth@sevendaysvt.com supporting raffles for nonprofits, buying ads in the high school yearbook and giving INFO prizes for Green Up Day. We say yes to any The Galaxy Bookshop, 41 South Main Street, group that comes through the door.” Hardwick, 472-5533, galaxybookshop.com.

Galaxy Bookshop « P.37

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As Goes Chelsea... « P.29 “There was a lot of head-scratching and, ‘I just don’t know what to do,’” said local artist Carrie Caouette-DeLallo, who organized the event. “We had quite a slump here for a couple years. The stores closing did something really weird to the psyche of the community. It looked like a ghost town.” Outside the main courtroom at the Orange County Courthouse

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Currently, Caouette-DeLallo and others operating under the moniker of Chelsea Arts Collective are pushing a barn quilt project. More than 85 Chelsea property owners are currently displaying the large painted squares on the sides of their barns and homes. The town is offering maps of a “barn quilt trail” to try to encourage outsiders and residents to explore the community. “It’s the perfect project for this area,” said Katz, who is designing her own barn quilt to add to the project. “Quilting is such a Vermont tradition, and barns are

an architectural tradition. It struck the right chord as a way for people to express themselves and be a part of a community project. Everyone is seeing that we’re all part of the solution. We can’t wait for someone else.” The arts collective also opened a coffee shop on the northern common, and in 2019 it plans to hold an arts festival there. Other groups have tried to breathe new life into Chelsea’s long-running farmers markets during the summer and to study the feasibility of opening a co-op food store. It is, Caouette-DeLallo admitted, a small start, but the energy can be infectious. Inspired by the arts collective’s work, a group of Chelsea Public Library trustees hosted a Harry Potterthemed night in February, and a couple dozen people attended in wizard costumes. “Every time I put something out now, 20 people volunteer, saying, ‘What can we do?’” Caouette-DeLallo said. “I’m a lot more optimistic now about what’s happening.” Some longtime residents are willing to give just about anything a shot. “This art group, maybe they will move toward what our town becomes,” said B&B co-owner Ackerman, a Chelsea native. “Maybe it will turn out to be that we’re not a dairy community anymore. Maybe our town is going to have a new look. Ten years ago I wouldn’t have said that, but these arts people, they’re busy people. They don’t stop.” But back at Chelsea’s lone store, Gilman struggles to be optimistic. He would love to sell his store, he said, or hand it down to a successor, but there are no obvious candidates. And while he is supportive of the new volunteer efforts, he worries that good intentions alone cannot sustain a community. “Long-term, it’s people not knowing each other anymore that’s my biggest concern,” Gilman said. “People will work to see each other for a while, but over time, if you have to work at it, it will go away.”

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EXCERPTS FROM THE BLOG

Burlington International Airport

hiring a ground crew to help load and unload planes at BTV were the main reason for the decision. “Despite significant efforts to find solutions by everyone involved, ground handling resources to support our flights in Burlington are currently unavailable,” Cicero wrote. “We are working to resolve these issues with all parties, with a goal to have flights resume next winter. “ The service was hailed as a potential boost to Vermont winter tourism when it began in 2011. But the route’s passenger count was always limited and has declined sharply from its peak in the winter of 2012-13, BTV statistics show. That winter, 2,035 passengers left BTV on Porter Airlines. Last season, the number was 683.

MOLLY WALSH

A star-studded crowd joined Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on the Burlington waterfront last Thursday night to kick off a three-day conference hosted by the nonproﬁt Sanders Institute. Though many of the national progressive leaders taking part in the event were prominent supporters of the senator’s 2016 presidential campaign, organizers said it was not related to a potential 2020 run. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, actress Susan Sarandon, U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) and former Greek ﬁnance minister Yanis Varoufakis were among those scheduled TAYLOR DOBBS

The only international commercial flight at Burlington International Airport won’t be offered this winter due to low boardings and logistical challenges. Porter Airlines will not run its skier-friendly seasonal service between Burlington and Toronto, BTV aviation director Gene Richards told Seven Days last week. The flights typically start in mid-December and run for eight to 10 weeks. Richards characterized the suspension as a one-year break and said he hoped Porter would be back next winter. So is the “International” in the airport’s name still legit, given the suspension of the flight service to Canada? Yes, said Richards: “That’s not what makes us international.” The moniker predated the Toronto flights, he said. Burlington remains an international port of entry for sporadic private and charter flights from other nations. When needed, U.S. Customs and Border Protection sets up in the Heritage Aviation building across a runway from the main terminal, Richards said. Porter Airlines spokesperson Brad Cicero wrote in an emailed statement that problems

Sanders Institute Brings Star Power to Burlington

MATTHEW THORSEN

BTV Loses Its Only International Commercial Flight

Sen. Bernie Sanders (center) with actor Danny Glover (right)

to address such topics as climate change, housing and criminal justice reform during the Sanders Institute Gathering. Before the panel discussions, though, was a reception at the ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain featuring motivational speaker Simon Sinek and a keynote address from Sanders himself. The senator’s wife, Sanders Institute cofounder Jane O’Meara Sanders, also spoke. In attendance were actors John Cusack — wearing a jacket that said “good night white pride” on the back — and Danny Glover. Sanders’ speech covered a range of his own political priorities, from the plight of children starving in war-torn Yemen to voter suppression efforts in the U.S. He said progressive politicians can and should push “mainstream” media and politicians to focus on issues important to them. He cited the rising popularity of $15 minimum wage and universal health care proposals as successes. Sanders did not address his own plans for 2020, and O’Meara Sanders said the conference was unrelated to her husband’s potential ambitions. “This has nothing to do with the campaign, or any campaign,” she said, though she acknowledged that the founding of the Sanders Institute was “certainly inspired by Bernie’s campaign” in 2016.

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food+drink

Shoreham Inn and Pub

PHOTOS: BEAR CIERI

Eating Way Out

Around small-town Vermont, square meals come with a side of connection B Y HA NNA H PA L ME R EGAN, ME LISSA PASANEN & S AL LY P O L L AK

n a quiet Sunday evening at the Shoreham Inn and Pub, a pair of women chatted over glasses of wine at the bar. Nearby, a solo guest ordered the burger-and-beer special. The small crowd was mostly locals, co-owner Andrew Done said later. Tucked into a front corner table sat Judy and Will Stevens, owners of Golden Russet Farm & Greenhouses, located about four miles from the inn. When the couple first moved to Shoreham in 1984, recalled Judy Stevens, the historic white clapboard-sided building with its “circa 1790” sign operated as a bed-and-breakfast and offered no regular public meals. In 2005, Molly and Dominic Francis bought the Shoreham Inn and added a country-style pub, which grew into a community hub over their 14-year tenure. The current owners, Done and his wife, Elizabeth, continue that community focus. Over the years, the casual restaurant has hosted numerous town fundraisers and special events as well as regular meetups for various groups, Stevens recounted. Tennis players can head to its outdoor deck after weekly matches on the town courts; other locals gather in a cozy corner over a shared passion for rug hooking. For the town of about 1,200 residents, the venue just off Route 22A is a comfortable spot close to home where neighbors can connect over food and drink. Like many such destinations in small-town Vermont, “the Shoreham Inn has done a huge amount to bring people together,” Stevens said. When the Preservation Trust of

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SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

Vermont brainstormed a list of elements the rise of the middle class and an increase that “make a great village” in 2007, “restau- in the number of women working outside rant-café” was among the top six, along the home, elaborated Jill Mudgett, a with post office, library, school, town office cultural historian who specializes in 19thand general store. and 20th-century Vermont. But historians say that breaking bread “Restaurants in small towns did not at restaurants is actually a relatively new have a whole lot to do with community way to spin the threads of small-town cohesion,” she said, reiterating that they community. And, as anyone who has ever catered largely to out-of-towners and to tried to keep an eatery alive in such a place single men renting rooms in town. can attest, it’s not a simple one. Mudgett and Cheryl Morse, a University About a decade ago, a group of restaura- of Vermont associate professor of geograteurs used a community-building pitch to phy who studies rural communities, both draw local investment noted that earlier generto Claire’s Restaurant ations of Vermonters and Bar in Hardwick, did gather over food — whose story landed in not at restaurants but the pages of the New at seasonal events such York Times. After six as chicken pie suppers years, however, the and ice cream socials. restaurant closed — While these traditions a reminder that the persist in some places, postcard ideal of a they don’t provide the R O B MC C O MIS K E Y gathering place comes kinds of regular opporwith plenty of challenges. tunities to bump into neighbors that reinHistorically, few rural American force community connection, Morse said. towns had a restaurant, said Amy Trubek, Restaurants are places where you can linger, a cultural anthropologist and University she noted, while “people don’t hang out at of Vermont associate professor who has the town hall.” published books on both the culinary Although the residents of many small profession and home cooking. In nonmet- towns would love to be closer to a café ropolitan areas, she pointed out, restau- or restaurant, the economics of providrants existed mostly to feed travelers, as ing that place to linger are sobering. “It the original Shoreham Inn did. “There can be hard to make money at that scale. was no tradition of eating out in every- You have to put value on the community day life because women cooked at home,” service,” said Trubek. Trubek said. “They have to be the kind of restauNot until after World War II did people rants that are really accessible to everystart to dine out more regularly, thanks to one,” Morse added.

THAT’S THE THING ABOUT A RESTAURANT.

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SHOREHAM INN AND PUB FRANKLIN GENERAL STORE HARRY’S HARDWARE, CABOT SAMURAI SOUL FOOD, FAIRLEE CARRIER ROASTING AND GOOD MEASURE BREWING, NORTHFIELD PEACHAM CAFÉ HOBO’S CAFÉ, ISLAND POND

45 46 46 48

48 49 50

Locally owned restaurants have been struggling around the country for the past 20 years, said Tim Marema, editor of the Daily Yonder, a blog about rural people, places and policies nationwide. “In a lot of rural America, the institution of the eatery has become the Dairy Queen, the McDonald’s, the KFC,” he said. “It’s really difficult in lots of places for an independent to make a go of it.” In Vermont, some restaurant owners, like the Dones at the Shoreham Inn or Kelden Smith at Samurai Soul Food (see page 48), make their business work by catering to both locals and tourists. Others have cobbled together startup capital and customer commitment from locals to launch “community-supported” restaurants such as the Bobcat Café in

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SHOREHAM INN AND PUB Bristol or the now-defunct Claire’s. In Peacham, it took more than a decade of community fundraising to open a central café (see page 49). Still, Morse noted, “a lot of towns just don’t have the capacity to support a café or restaurant. They have to make do with a general store.” Morse has studied the role of general stores in promoting rural community resilience. In addition to more traditional general stores such as the venerable Franklin General Store (see page 46), she cited local examples of the newer hybrid restaurant-meets-general store model: Parker Pie at the Lake Parker Country Store in West Glover, and the pairing of Harry’s Hardware with the Den and Sarah’s Country Diner in Cabot (see page 46). Like Marema, Morse has also observed the trend of chains becoming local gathering places. In some rural Vermont locations, for example, upgraded gas station convenience stores have added food options and places to sit, she said. While it’s easy to lament the decline of unique small-town eateries, Marema cautioned against idealizing them. “We romanticize that,” he said. “We want those small businesses with the well-trodden wooden floor, the cash register that still jingles.” He acknowledged that restaurants can help preserve local foodways and regional culture but added, “The coffee klatches are still happening, even if it’s at fast-food places.” Still, it’s hard to imagine a Maplefields customer writing an online review like one posted earlier this year on Facebook about the Halfway House Restaurant, Shoreham’s other longtime favorite. The family-owned, diner-style spot is frequented by the local farming community and known for solid eats and housemade desserts. Reviewer and regular Bill O’Neill goes there, he wrote, for “very good home-cooked meals.” Plus, he noted, “You also get a big slice of the community.” We visited seven eating and drinking places in Vermont that vary in their business models but all add vitality to their rural communities, along with a “big slice” of local color. M.P.

51 Inn Road, Shoreham, 897-5081, shorehaminn.com

The guest book in the lobby of the Shoreham Inn is more than a century old. It contains columns for name, residence, remarks and “horse.” Recent visitors have hailed from as far as Colorado and Alabama. None, apparently, brought a horse — but they did praise the cozy, wood-beamed pub and inn, which are more than 100 years older than the guest book. Andrew and Elizabeth Done, who bought the historic property in early 2017, are hands-on owners. Andrew, a longtime hospitality professional who Shoreham Inn and Pub co-owner Andrew Done most recently worked in New Orleans, manages the kitchen. His wife is a cheerful presence out front and bakes all the from-scratch desserts. Andrew described the menu as “home cooking, comfort-type food, not froufrou.” A roster of mains checks all the boxes: steak, grilled chicken, baked haddock and a burger made with local beef. On a late-fall evening, the vegetarian offering featured butternut squash from Golden Russet Farm & Greenhouses, whose owners, Judy and Will Stevens, happened to be eating at the inn that night. The business sees a steady flow of tourists from July through foliage season, but the Dones very much value their local customers, too. The pub section of the menu, Andrew said, was designed specifically with locals like the Stevenses in mind. Occasional $11 specials that combine beer with wings or a burger also help keep a night out affordable. For $10, a generous hill of mashed potatoes came topped with two well-seared Vermont-made bratwursts and a savory red-wine-and-onion sauce. The classic Caesar, which correctly includes anchovies by default, made a solid counterpoint to the “bangers and mash” richness. For those with a sweet tooth, Elizabeth’s dessert list presents an embarrassment ‹e Shoreham Inn and Pub guest book of options. During a recent visit, maplepecan cheesecake, devil’s food chocolate layer cake, rum pumpkin chiffon pie and a butterscotch pudding all tempted. Our table of four shared the cake and pudding and found the latter a creamy, caramelkissed pleasure. Judy Stevens recommended the pies, though perhaps it was lucky for us that none was on the menu that night. One nice thing about this time of year, she added: Having fewer tourists makes more room for locals at the Shoreham Inn. M.P.

EATING WAY OUT SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

» P.46 45

food+drink COURTESY OF HARRY’S HARDWARE

Eating Way Out « P.45 Jam session at Harry’s Hardware

FRANKLIN GENERAL STORE 5243 Main Street, Franklin, 285-2033

The other day, Art Davis walked into the Franklin General Store for a quick lunch — a bowl of housemade chicken noodle soup and a bottle of chocolate milk. He was in the middle of readying a new logging truck for use at his business down the road, A. Davis Agriculture Services. So Davis, 63, took his lunch to go and headed back to his shop. “The store’s our general meeting place,” he said before leaving. “We stop in almost every day and buy our lunches and spread gossip.” Back when he was 19, Davis recalled, logging with a team of horses in the Franklin County woods, his lunch was three sandwiches and a thermos of coffee. These days, the general store on Main Street serves a daily hot lunch special to about 20 people, some of whom are loggers and sugarmakers. The noontime meal, usually $7.50, could be ham and scalloped potatoes with string beans; a hot roast beef sandwich and fries; or macaroni and cheese with a grilled naturalcasing hot dog. The special usually sells out by 12:30 p.m. “Stragglers,” to use co-owner Sue Mayo’s word, arrive later for subs, sandwiches, soup and pizza. Sue, 58, a Franklin native, owns the store with her husband, Bill, 64, who grew up in St. Albans. They bought the business in 2003, after Bill was laid off after almost 25 years at IBM. The Mayos have renovated the store over time, adding their own products to its provisions. The freezer holds stacks of Sue’s pies, from-scratch beauties that include pumpkin, raspberry, maple cream, strawberry rhubarb and chicken pot pie. Venison hunted by Bill and packaged as steaks and sausage is available (for a limited time) in the meat freezer. The cider inventory includes a hard cider, Just Franklin, made from a variety of apple Bill grows at his orchard near the Canadian border; he’s patented the fruit under the name Franklin Cider. Sue remembers the store from her childhood, when it was called O.H. Riley. A sweet shop and barbershop stood next door; the grange hall was across the street. Her grocery purchases were marked in a ledger and paid for at week’s end by her father, who was a foreman at the pulp mill in Sheldon. A store poster from decades past announces “Free Lunch Served on Thursday.” Showing Seven Days the old notice, printed when T-bone steak was 79 cents a pound and bananas were two pounds for a quarter, Sue remarked, “So, does that answer your question about community?”

HARRY’S HARDWARE

3087 Main Street, Cabot, 563-2291, harryshardwardvt.com

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Grocer Bobby Searles had operated the Cabot Village Store for about a decade when the next-door hardware shop and gas station hit the auction block in 2012. Searles wasn’t interested in selling tools, he told Seven Days in 2017, but a small town is “a fragile ecosystem,” and he felt compelled to buy the place. Villages turn into ghost towns, he pointed out, when they can’t readily meet their residents’ basic needs. Searles ran the hardware biz for four years. “We tried to sell this store to everyone who walked in,” he said. In 2016, Johanna and Rory Thibault moved into a 200-year-old farmhouse around the corner. As they settled into the old place with their two children, they became hardware store regulars. Rory Thibault (now the Washington County state’s attorney) was just coming off active military duty, and the family was ready to put down roots in Cabot. Searles’ casual “Buy my store” proposition grew into a larger conversation: What does this town need? What’s missing? “We identified what we thought was a need in the community,” Johanna Thibault said last week, “which was to provide a place for people to come together. There wasn’t really anywhere to do that.” The Thibaults became half-partners in the business with Searles and extended the register counter into a full-length bar-top. In July 2017, they began serving beer, wine, and bar foods such as Scotch eggs and pretzels. Sarah’s Country Diner, which operates a tiny dinette at the rear of the building, supplies additional soups and other snacks. Now, when neighbors come in for a mousetrap or a box of screws, they often stay for a beer. “There’s no separation” between the bar and the hardware store, Thibault said. “When we have music, you’re sitting among the hardware. So there’s oil for your car right there, and you’re like, ‘Oh, yeah, I needed to pick that up.’” In fact, Thibault added, the financial cushion supplied by beverage sales has enabled Searles to expand the shop’s hardware inventory; when someone comes in looking for a part, Harry’s is more likely to have what they need. Saturday night music showcases summon out-of-towners who dance among the rakes and shovels; on Sundays, locals strum, hum and drum away the afternoon at community jam sessions. The bar draws visitors to the nearby Cabot Creamery Visitors Center into town, too. In the past, Thibault said, tourists wouldn’t come into the village. “They would go to the creamery and go back out again.” H.P.E.

Sue and Bill Mayo, co-owners of the Franklin General Store EATING WAY OUT

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

» P.48

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CARRIER ROASTING AND GOOD MEASURE BREWING

17 East Street, Northﬁeld, 485-4600, goodmeasurebrewing.com, carrierroasting.com

SAMURAI SOUL FOOD

176 Route 5, Fairlee, 331-1041, Facebook.com/samuraisoulfood

FILE: SARAH PRIESTAP

Diners at Samurai Soul Food

JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

Every restaurateur knows that January is no time to open a restaurant. Just don’t tell Kelden Smith, who opened Fairlee’s Samurai Soul Food in January 2017. In a town with only 977 year-round residents, where the only other four-season restaurant was a decades-old pizza place, the tiny, super-casual restaurant was nonetheless an instant hit. “Everybody from town comes in,” said general manager Amy Bruce. “We’ve just had an outpouring of locals who are grateful to have a place to go that’s close by and different.” The décor is part bachelor pad, part tiki bar, part college dorm room. Strings of chile-pepper lights glow red against bamboo-lined walls. Posters depict a young Bruce Lee, circus polar bears on teeter-totters and clowns. An overhead television plays silent anime films. Languid goldfish swirl around the rocks and plastic plants inside a long tank near the door. Tibetan prayer flags adorn the doorways. The food is not what you might expect, either. Locals crowded in to sample a funky Asian-fusion menu featuring kung pao chicken wings, lobster rangoons and wonton tuna nachos made with raw fish, spicy mayo and wasabi cream.

On the Saturday before Thanksgiving, Carrier Roasting in Northfield hosted a pie social and fundraiser for the local food bank. People enjoyed slices of maple cream and devil’s chocolate pie with a strong cappuccino or a cup of black coffee. By 12:30 p.m., as pie ran out, adjoining Good Measure Brewing was filling up with a different crowd: folks getting a jump on holiday cheer. The café and taproom housed in a brick building are bound by walls and ownership. Over the past two years, the onetime IGA space has been revitalized into dual enterprises, each serving a double function: production facility and hangout. The café roasts its own beans; the taproom serves beer brewed in the back. That double purpose is the key to the venture, said co-owner Ross Evans, who grew up in Northfield. “You have a place where you can produce something that’s going to go out in the world,” he said. “Yet people can come into your location, sit and consume your thing. We’re bringing people to town.” Since January 2017, in this Washington County town that is home to Norwich University and about 2,000 people, roughly 10,000 people have come to the brewery-café, Evans said. Most of the customers are from out of town. “The businesses bring new money into Northfield that isn’t otherwise there,” he noted. Evans, 37, and his brother-in-law, Scott Kerner, 43, co-owner of Three Nate Doyon working the counter Penny Taproom in Montpelier, at Carrier Roasting founded Carrier Roasting three years ago in Evans’ parents’ barn. They set up roasting equipment beside a pottery shop and sold beans through a subscription service. In January 2018, having teamed up with Matt Borg, a roaster with experience at California’s Blue Bottle Coffee Company, the business partners moved the roastery to the Good Measure Brewing building. Now, Carrier Roasting ships some 350 pounds of beans a week, packed in bags marked “roasted in Northfield, Vt.,” to destinations from Burlington to Everett, Wash. The goods that stay at 17 East Street, on both sides of the space, contribute to life in the village, patrons say. The day of the pie social, a Massachusetts couple who graduated from Norwich University in the mid-1990s sipped flights of beer in the taproom; their teenage daughter sat in the next room with a frothy coffee drink. One of those alums, Rob Archambault, noted how times have changed. “There was nothing here when we were here,” he said of his college days. “We drank beer at bonfires by the river.” S.P.

H.P.E.

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

Bruce, who described the food as “fun,” said, “Every dish has its own special twist; it’s not your basic taco or burger. There’s always one ingredient that sets it apart from other places.” Season matters bigly in Fairlee, which is home to two meandering lakes lined with second homes, at least eight kids’ summer camps and an idyllic 18-hole golf resort. When the weather warms, Fairlee’s population swells by thousands as out-of-staters sweep the cobwebs from waterfront houses and camp counselors entertain the scores of kiddos who sleep in canvas tents. To accommodate those hungry masses, Samurai Soul Food added an outdoor patio in its first summer, doubling the available seating. But as the nightly lines persisted, locals retreated to their own decks and gardens and waited for winter’s return. “We get overrun by summer people,” Bruce said. “People from here wait for our downtime so they can get back in.” In this tiny town, the adage rings true: Good things come to those who wait ... for winter.

Scott Kerner pouring a beer at Good Measure Brewing

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11/28/18 4:07 PM

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EATING WAY OUT

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WINES & BEER

The people of Peacham gathered for decades at the Bayley-Hazen Country Store. When it closed in 2001, the town’s 700-odd residents had no place to chat with neighbors over a morning coffee; nowhere to grab an easy takeout supper; no stop-on-the-way-home for milk or eggs. “We were used to having a gathering place,” said former town planner Barry Lawson, where “you could pick up some goods or dessert and also meet people.” Shortly after the store closed, a group of citizens got busy. With help from the Preservation Trust of Vermont, they secured funding to buy and revive the store. By then, the original owner had sold off all the kitchen equipment. Undeterred, the group pursued plan B, Lawson said: Find another old building and set up shop there. A decade passed before it found a viable home for the desired gathering place. In 2011, the municipality decided to offload the townowned “bus barn” — located beside the old store, a stone’s throw from the village green — for $1. Nonprofit Peacham Community Housing purchased the place, and a second round of fundraising netted $120,000, enough to transform it into a modest market-café. Laborers from St. Johnsbury’s prison camp kept renovation costs in check as workers gutted the 100-year-old building, reframed its interior, hung and painted Sheetrock and installed kitchen appliances. The business plan included ongoing funding in the form of slow-season rent subsidies and other financial supports to keep the restaurant afloat during hard times. Finally, as the autumn leaves began to blush in 2014, local chef Ariel Zevon opened the café with a menu of stuffed French toast, farm-fresh soups and salads. In summer 2016, Caledonia County native Crystal Lapierre took over; these days, she runs the place with her twin sister, Shannon Pelletier. Together, they wake the village with a morning caffeine fix — lately, using a shiny new coffee machine — along with breakfast sandwiches, housemade bagels with cream cheese and lox, and honeyed granola with yogurt. At lunch, the sisters’ deli-style sandwiches, salads and wraps incorporate as many community-sourced meats and produce as the town’s farmers can supply. Lawson acknowledged that it’s hard to run a food business in a small town. “The market is just not there,” he said. But Peacham seems to have demonstrated that where there’s a need, there’s a way.

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SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

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food+drink Eating Way Out « P.49

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12/3/18 2:48 PM

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SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

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11/27/17 1:58 PM

ROB MCCOMISKEY LEFT COLORADO TO

BRING BARBECUE TO THE NORTH COUNTRY.

S.P.

Contact: sally@sevendaysvt.com, hannah@sevendaysvt.com, pasanen@sevendaysvt.com

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FIVE LOCAL VENDORS, HOT COCOA, TASTY SIPS & MORE!

When Rob McComiskey was a kid growing up in Canaan, he loved Friday night dinners at Bessie’s Diner. The whole town seemed to be there, he recalled. The camaraderie was enhanced by poutine, pizza and steak. “That’s the thing about a restaurant,” said McComiskey, 35. “It brings the whole community together.” Now he and his parents are helping to build community at Hobo’s Café in Island Pond, the barbecue restaurant the McComiskeys opened on Mother’s Day 2017. Their son returned to the Northeast Kingdom from Colorado, where he’d been living and cooking for 13 years, to be its pitmaster. “I was sitting there watching an awesome sunset over the Rocky Mountains, and Rob McComiskey at Hobo’s Café the phone rang,” McComiskey recalled. It was his father, Bob, calling with news from Vermont. “I bought a restaurant, and I want to bring barbecue to the North Country,” Rob’s father told him. “Are you in?” “Yes, Dad, I’m in,” he answered. Soon McComiskey was back in the Kingdom, living above the restaurant in the Essex County town of about 800 people. “The beauty of barbecue is in its simplicity,” he said. “You don’t have to go off the wall to enjoy good food.” Hash brisket, pumpkin pancakes and coffee bring townspeople and recreators — campers, hunters and snowmobilers — to Hobo’s Café for breakfast. Meat smoked over apple, hickory and maple wood fills plates at lunch and supper, served with two sides. While the food may be all about enjoyment, the 48-seat café has also been a place for the community to take on weighty matters; in October, it hosted a forum on opiates in Vermont, led by Attorney General T.J. Donovan. He ate pulled-pork sliders and posted a thumbs-up review on Facebook (“Everyone should stop at Hobo’s BBQ in Island Pond — great BBQ and conversation”). “It was very interesting,” McComiskey said of the discussion. “It was about a serious epidemic, and it was really insightful. As a community, we’re concerned about what’s going on with this. We all care for each other, and we want better.” Hobo’s Café served veterans at half price on Veterans Day. On Thanksgiving, a Canadian trucker with a load of Christmas trees wandered into the restaurant looking for a warm meal; though the place was officially closed, family and staff welcomed him to join the feast they were holding there. “It was a back-to-your-roots kind of feeling,” McComiskey said. On a regular day at the café, McComiskey particularly enjoys talking with his older customers. “I get to sit down and hear their stories,” he said. “I’ve learned to stay humble. You have to stay humble to gain experience in life.”

TASTY BITS FROM THE CALENDAR AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM VIENNETTA | DREAMSTIME

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11/13/18 5:16 PM

Spiced mead

Nordic Winter Meadmaker Ricky Klein taps kegs of sparkling honey wine to celebrate the season of snow-blown days and long, frosty nights. Outside, bonﬁres and steaming mugs of spiced mead from Groennfell Meadery and sister biz Havoc Mead warm souls willing to brave the weather, while bottomless plates of Scandinavian-style pulled pork and other sustaining snacks keep energy levels high as evening darkness closes in. MIDWINTER FEST Saturday, December 8, noon-8:30 p.m., Colchester’s Mead Hall. $10. Info, 497-2345, colchestersmeadhall.com.

FARM TALKS: CREATIVE CONSERVATION & COMMUNITY FARMING Farmers discuss collaborative approaches to workinglands stewardship, conservation and sustainable agribusiness development. ™ursday , December 6, 6-7:30 p.m., Bread & Butter Farm, Shelburne. Free. Info, breadandbutterfarm.com.

NORTHFIELD COMMON SPIRIT CELEBRATION Locals bundle up for a holiday farm-andcrafters market and tree-lighting ceremony on the town common. Carolers, wagon rides and visits with Santa make it a family affair. Saturday, December 7, 4-7 p.m., Depot Square, Northﬁeld. Free. Info, 485-8546, northﬁeldfarmers marketvt.org.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE COMPETITION Ready, set, gingerbread! Bakers enter homemade masterpieces in an architectural competition with three spirited prize packages. Entry fees beneﬁt the Committee on Temporary Shelter. Wednesday, December 12, 5:30-9 p.m., Stonecutter Spirits Highball Social, Burlington. $10. Info, 540-3000, stonecutterspirits.com.

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SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

12/3/18 1:09 PM

calendar D E C E M B E R

WED.5 bazaars

INTERNATIONAL BOUTIQUE: Goods from Mexico, India, Nepal and beyond make for unique holiday gifts. Waitsﬁeld Masonic Lodge, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. Info, info@ internationalboutique.org.

business

BURLINGTON YOUNG PROFESSIONALS MEETUP: Networking opportunities abound during an informal social hour. Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies, Burlington, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3489.

cannabis

GREENER DRINKS: Supporters of commonsense cannabis reform sip beverages and discuss the culture, industry and politics of the agricultural product. Zenbarn, Waterbury, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, info@ vtcannabisbrands.com.

community

PLANBTV PRESENTATION & PUBLIC HEARING: Locals learn about Burlington’s comprehensive development plan and offer up input. Burlington City Hall Auditorium, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, mtuttle@ burlingtonvt.gov.

crafts

FIBER RIOT!: Crafters get hooked on knitting, crocheting, spinning and more at an informal weekly gathering. Mad River Fiber Arts & Mill, Waitsﬁeld, 5-8 p.m. Free. Info, 496-7746.

5 - 1 2 ,

dance

‘TAKING FLIGHT’: Dancers interpret experimental works by emerging Middlebury College choreographers. Dance ƒ eatre, Mahaney Center for the Arts, Middlebury College, 5 p.m. Free. Info, 443-3168.

environment

SLASH YOUR ENERGY BILLS: Barre City Energy Committee offers a workshop on cutting costs through strategies such as heat pumps and renewable energy alternatives. Alumni Hall Meeting & Conference Center, Barre, 5:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 477-1465.

etc.

CHITTENDEN COUNTY STAMP CLUB MEETING: First-class collectibles provide a glimpse into the postal past at this monthly gathering. Williston Fire Station, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 660-4817. FLATBREAD SOIRÉE: Singles gather in the bar area to meet new people and make new friends. American Flatbread Middlebury Hearth, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Cost of food and drink. Info, 343-7160. JUMP START YOUR JOB SEARCH: Susan Edwards of Vermont Works for Women puts female employment seekers on a path toward a fulﬁlling career. Missisquoi Valley Union Middle & High School, Swanton, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 868-2493. QUEEN CITY BICYCLE CLUB MONTHLY RIDE: Folks who identify as women, trans, femme and nonbinary empower one another on a group excursion complete with glitter and a giant boom box. A drink ticket awaits each rider at Zero Gravity Craft Brewery.

LIST YOUR UPCOMING EVENT HERE FOR FREE!

2 0 1 8

Old Spokes Home, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, christine. tyler@gmail.com.

film

‘EIGHTH GRADE’: Bo Burnham directs this 2018 comedy about an introverted adolescent on the verge of high school. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, 6-7:30 p.m. $5. Info, 533-2000. ‘HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE’: ƒ is 2012 documentary chronicles two coalitions that revolutionized early HIV/AIDS activism. A panel discussion follows. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 7-10 p.m. Donations. Info, 371-6222. ‘THE LAST REEF 3D’: Viewers visit a living city beneath the sea via an awe-inspiring film. Northfield Savings Bank 3D ƒ eater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 11:30 a.m., 1:30 & 3:30 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $11.50-14.50; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848. ‘MIRAI’: Fans of Japanese animation geek out over this 2018 flick following a young boy who travels through time, meeting relatives from different eras along the way. Palace 9 Cinemas, South Burlington, Info, 660-9300. Regal Champlain Centre Stadium 8, Plattsburgh, N.Y., Info, 877-835-5734, ext. 2. 7 p.m. $12.50.

WED.5

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FIND MORE LOCAL EVENTS IN THIS ISSUE AND ONLINE:

ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY art THURSDAY AT NOON FOR CONSIDERATION IN Find visual art exhibits and events in the art section THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY’S NEWSPAPER. and at sevendaysvt.com/art. FIND OUR CONVENIENT SUBMISSION FORM AND GUIDELINES AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT. SPECIAL HOLIDAY DEADLINE: SUBMISSIONS FOR EVENTS TAKING PLACE BETWEEN WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, AND WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, ARE DUE BY NOON ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13. LISTINGS AND SPOTLIGHTS ARE WRITTEN BY KRISTEN RAVIN. SEVEN DAYS EDITS FOR SPACE AND STYLE. DEPENDING ON COST AND OTHER FACTORS, CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS MAY BE LISTED IN EITHER THE CALENDAR OR THE CLASSES SECTION. WHEN APPROPRIATE, CLASS ORGANIZERS MAY BE ASKED TO PURCHASE A CLASS LISTING. 52 SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

DEC.9 | MUSIC

See what’s playing at local theaters in the movies section.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the movies section and at sevendayst.com/movies.

music Find club dates at local venues in the music section and at sevendaysvt.com/music. All family-oriented events are now published in Kids VT, our free parenting monthly. Look for it on newsstands and check out the online calendar at kidsvt.com.

Prominent Players Videos of Borromeo String Quartet performances reveal something unique about the members of this awardwinning ensemble: They read music from laptop computers onstage. In addition to their use of technology, the four instrumentalists are known for reinterpreting classical works and promoting pieces by 20th- and 21st-century composers. The Quartet-in-Residence at the New England Conservatory in Boston has graced stages at notable venues such as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Cellist Yeesun Kim, violist Mai Motobuchi, and violinists Kristopher Tong and Nicholas Kitchen charm music connoisseurs with works by Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven and Hungarian-born composer György Ligeti.

BORROMEO STRING QUARTET Sunday, December 9, 3 p.m., at Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph. $15-42. Info, 728-9878, chandler-arts.org.

Comic Creature Carrot Top uses his trunk of props, Gallagher uses his iconic mallet, and Las Vegas comic and magician John van der Put uses his green, red and gold dragon costume. Once clad in this colorful disguise, van der Put transforms into onstage alter ego Piff the Magic Dragon. Piff may not breathe fire, but he has plenty of jaw-dropping tricks and gut-busting jokes up his sleeve — all performed with perfectly deadpan delivery. Joined by his sidekick, a Chihuahua named Mr. Piffles, Piff the Magic Dragon proves why he grabbed the attention of judges and viewers alike on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” and the CW’s “Penn & Teller: Fool Us.”

DEC.8 | COMEDY

PIFF THE MAGIC DRAGON Saturday, December 8, 7:30 p.m., at the Paramount ƒ eatre in Rutland. $39. Info, 775-0903, paramountvt.org.

DEC.6-8 | HOLIDAYS Angels Sing “The Christmas story is a cultural inheritance that belongs to whoever claims it,” state the members of Brooklyn-based folk duo Robinson & Rohe on their Bandcamp page. “If it is the Church, then the Church will tell the story. If it is the corporate advertisers, the corporate advertisers will sell the story. But if it is the artists … then it is they who will create the story anew.” With this aim in mind, accordionist and singer Liam Robinson and guitarist and singer Jean Rohe present three holiday concerts. The musicians reclaim their favorite ancient carols in performances of songs from their 2014 album The Longest Winter.

ROBINSON & ROHE ł ursday, December 6, 7:30 p.m., at the Roost in Underhill; Friday, December 7, 7:30 p.m., at 246 Blackbird Swale Drive in Huntington; and Saturday, December 8, 7:30 p.m., at Bread & Butter Farm in Shelburne. $15-20. Info, 434-4563.

Festive Films

DEC.8 & 9 | HOLIDAYS

Before there were CGI-heavy films shown in massive theaters with stadium seating and booming surround sound, there were silent motion pictures accompanied by live music. ł e Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra transport cinephiles to the early 1900s with their program Christmas at the Silent Movies. Described by the Washington Post as “the premier American ragtime ensemble,” the Maryland-based band accompanies holiday-themed silent films with the original orchestral scores. Festive flicks include the 1922 short “The Frozen North” starring Buster Keaton and the first-ever film adaptations of A Christmas Carol and The Night Before Christmas. PEACHERINE RAGTIME SOCIETY ORCHESTRA Saturday, December 8, 7 p.m., at the Strand Center for the Arts in Plattsburgh, N.Y. $10-25. Info, 518-5631604, ext. 105. Sunday, December 9, 7 p.m., at the Double E Lounge at Essex Cinemas & T-Rex ł eater. $15-25. Info, 876-7152, doubleevermont.com.

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

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WED.5

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4.75” x Snacks 7.46”are provided at a MOVIE: showing of a popular ﬁlm. Call for details. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918. ‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: An awe-inspiring picture reveals phenomena that can’t be seen with the naked eye. Northﬁeld Savings Bank 3D ”eater: A National Geographic Experience, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, noon, 2 & 4 p.m. $3-5 plus regular admission, $11.50-14.50; admission free for members and kids 2 and under. Info, 864-1848. ‘TRACES OF THE TRADE: A STORY FROM THE DEEP NORTH’: Descendants of the largest slavetrading family in early America face their past in a 2008 episode of “P.O.V.” A discussion follows. Unitarian Church of Montpelier, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 2237861, ext. 2. ‘WARREN MILLER’S FACE OF WINTER’: Big names in skiing and snowboarding tackle daunting peaks around the globe in this tribute to all things snow sports. Town Hall ”eater , Middlebury, 7:30 p.m. $20. Info, 382-9222.

Natural Gas Safety: Detecting, Reporting & Preventing Leaks

food & drink

COMMUNITY SUPPER: A scrumptious spread connects friends and neighbors. ”e Pathways Vermont Community Center, Burlington, 5-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 888-492-8218, ext. 300.

Detecting a gas leak: Smell Natural gas is normally odorless. A distinctive, pungent odor, similar to rotten eggs, is added so that you will recognize it quickly. Sight You may see a white cloud, mist, fog, bubbles in standing water or blowing dust. You may also see vegetation that appears to be dead or dying for no apparent reason. Sound You may hear an unusual noise like a roaring, hissing, or whistling.

Move immediately to a safe location. Call Vermont Gas at

CRIBBAGE TEAMS: Longtime players and neophytes alike aim for a value of 15 or 31 in this competitive card game. Twin Valley Senior Center, East Montpelier, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 223-3322.

1-800-639-8081 immediately, with the exact location. Do not smoke or operate electrical switches or appliances. These items may produce a spark that might ignite the gas or cause an explosion. Do not assume someone else will report the condition.

PINOCHLE & RUMMY: Card sharks engage in friendly competition. Twin Valley Senior Center, East Montpelier, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 223-3322.

Preventing leaks:

health & fitness

Use care when working near natural gas facilities. Digging into a pipeline is the largest single cause of pipeline failures. Protect yourself and underground 811 to notify them of the work.

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

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games

BRIDGE CLUB: Players have fun with the popular card game. Burlington Bridge Club, Williston, 9:15 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. $6. Info, 872-5722.

If you suspect a leak:

facilities, before starting to dig call Dig Safe™ at

TRIPLE ACCIDENTAL FRIENDS RELEASE PARTY: Suds lovers sip three limited-edition brews, including two new wine-beer hybrids. Jesse Taylor provides live tunes. Magic Hat Brewing Company, South Burlington, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 658-2739.

Wishing you a safe a nd happ y holiday season, from yo ur friend s at Vermon t Gas!

12/3/18 1:08 PM

ACROYOGA CLASS: ”e mindfulness and breath of yoga meet the playful aspects of acrobatics in a partner practice. No partners or experience required. Sangha Studio — Pine, Burlington, 7-8:15 p.m. Donations. Info, 448-4262. BEATING THE COLD-AND-FLU SEASON NATURALLY: Licensed acupuncturist Allison Jacob prescribes methods for staying healthy all winter long. Waterbury Public Library, 6:307:30 p.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

WEDNESDAY GUIDED MEDITATION: Participants learn to relax and let go. Burlington Friends Meeting House, 5:306:30 p.m. Free. Info, 318-8605. WELCOME WEDNESDAYS: ”e ﬁtness and recreational facility opens its doors to community members for complimentary classes, workouts and swimming. Bring a photo ID. Greater Burlington YMCA, 5 a.m.-10 p.m. Free. Info, 862-9622.

holidays

ILLUMINATION NIGHT: Hot cocoa and holiday songs pave the way for an annual tree lighting. College Green, Vermont College of Fine Arts, Montpelier, 5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 828-8600. PUBLIC MENORAH LIGHTING: Friends and families gather ’round an oversize candelabrum. Taylor Park, St. Albans, 5 p.m. Free. Info, draizy@chabadvt.org.

language

BEGINNER & INTERMEDIATE/ ADVANCED ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSES: Learners take communication to the next level. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7211. GERMAN CONVERSATION GROUP: Community members practice conversing auf Deutsch. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7211. LUNCH IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE: SPANISH: ¡Hola! Language lovers perfect their ﬂuency. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

montréal

‘A DOLL’S HOUSE, PART 2’: Lucas Hnath’s witty sequel to Henrik Isben’s classic drama, presented by the Segal Centre for the Performing Arts, offers a complex exploration of traditional gender roles and the struggles within human relationships. Sylvan Adams ”eatre, Segal Centre for Performing Arts, Montréal, 1 & 8 p.m. $47-62. Info, 514-739-7944.

music

Find club dates in the music section. CÉDRIC TIBERGHIEN: Celebrated for his versatility, the French pianist makes the keys dance in a program honoring the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. Robison Hall, Mahaney Center for the Arts, Middlebury College, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $6-22. Info, 443-3168. SLEEPLESS KNIGHTS: ”e coed student a cappella group hits all the right notes in several new songs. McCarthy Arts Center, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, 8 p.m. Free. Info, 654-2000. STUDENT PERFORMANCE RECITAL III: Student instrumentalists breathe life into classical and jazz compositions by Ellington, Bach and others. University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 656-3040.

talks

DANIELLE GARNEAU: ”e SUNY Plattsburgh associate professor provokes thought with “Microplastic Pollution in the Lake Champlain Basin: We Are What We Consume.” Room 207, Bentley Hall, Northern Vermont University-Johnson, 4-5:15 p.m. Free. Info, les.kanat@northern vermont.edu. DAVID MOATS: ”e Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist leads the First Wednesdays series panel discussion “Making Sense of the News, Local to Global.” Goodrich Memorial Library, Newport, 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 334-7902. JANE LINDHOLM: In “Objectivity in the Fake News Era,” presented as part of the First Wednesdays series, the Vermont Pubic Radio host offers ways for listeners to ensure that information is accurate, and for news organizations to safeguard their reporting as fair and correct. Rutland Free Library, 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 773-1860. NANCY JAY CRUMBINE: Presented as part of the First Wednesdays series, “”e Legacy of Rachel Carson” examines the environmental scientist’s clarity, courage and brilliance. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338. PAUL VINCENT: ”e Keene State College professor examines how ideology and terror undermined human dignity in “Daily Life in Prewar Nazi Germany,” a First Wednesdays series speech. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6955. THOMAS DENENBERG: In “”e Wyeths: First Family of American Art,” a First Wednesdays series talk, the Shelburne Museum director proﬁles three inﬂuential painters. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 388-4095. WILLARD STERNE RANDALL: Part romance and part tragedy, Alexander Hamilton’s life takes center stage in the First Wednesdays series address “Hamilton: ”e Man and the Musical.” Norwich Congregational Church, 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1184.

tech

INTERMEDIATE EXCEL: Formula entry, formatting, freeze pane and simple plotting become second nature at a tutorial on electronic spreadsheets. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5:30-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 865-7217. TECH HELP WITH CLIF: Electronics novices develop skill sets applicable to smartphones, tablets and other gadgets. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, noon & 1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-6955.

theater

ROALD DAHL’S ‘MATILDA: THE MUSICAL’: Based on the novel of the same name, this Tony Award-winning musical follows the struggles of a gifted

LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT

little girl against her neglectful parents and cruel headmistress. Presented by Northern Stage. Barrette Center for the Arts, White River Junction, 11 a.m. & 7:30 p.m. $19-69. Info, 296-7000.

words

FICTION WORKSHOP: Readers focus on elements of the craft when responding to work by Burlington Writers Workshop members. 110 Main St., Suite 3C, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free; preregister at meetup.com; limited space. Info, 383-8104. RECOVERY WRITE NOW: Wordsmiths in recovery let their creativity ﬂow in a lively and supportive setting. Turning Point Center, Burlington, 6-7:15 p.m. Free. Info, writelife1@hotmail.com. WRITING CIRCLE: Words pour out when participants explore creative expression in a lowpressure environment. Še Pathways Vermont Community Center, Burlington, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 888-492-8218, ext. 303.

etc.

‘THE CARD MAGIC OF CHRISTOPHER MCBRIDE’: Drawing on 40 years of experience, the musician mesmerizes audience members with traditional sleight-of-hand tricks. ArtsRiot, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $16-64; for ages 16 and up. Info, 540-0406. FILM & MEDIA CULTURE FALL STUDENT SCREENING: Artists showcase work produced in Sight and Sound II and 3-D Computer Animation classes. Dana Auditorium, Sunderland Language Center, Middlebury College, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 443-3168. LA LECHE LEAGUE MEETING: Nursing mothers share breastfeeding tips and resources. Essex Free Library, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, lllessexvt@gmail.com. TOUR THE TOWN HALL THEATER: Patrons get a behind-the-scenes look at the performing arts venue. Town Hall Šeater , Middlebury, 5 p.m. Free. Info, 382-9222.

THU.6

film

BRANCH OUT BURLINGTON! ANNUAL MEETING: Arboreal aﬁcionados recognize this year’s winners of the Awesome Tree Contest. Pizza and dessert are served. Burlington Municipal Building, 6 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 735-3055.

‘FARMER OF THE YEAR’: An aging farmer and his aimless granddaughter embark on a cross-country road trip. Essex Cinemas & T-Rex Šeater , 7-9 p.m. $6.75-10. Info, producer@ yellowhouseﬁlms.com.

FARM TALKS: ‘CREATIVE CONSERVATION & COMMUNITY FARMING’: Interested individuals join a conversation about how Bread & Butter Farm’s team of farmers, mentor-educators and partner organizations work together toward regenerating and protecting the landscape. Bread & Butter Farm, Shelburne, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, breadandbutter farm@gmail.com.

‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: See WED.5.

agriculture

OPEN HOUSE: Green thumbs explore the Vermont Community Garden Network’s new digs. Vermont Community Garden Network, Burlington, coffee, tea and breakfast goodies, 8:3010:30 a.m.; beer, wine and snacks, 4-6 p.m. Free. Info, michelle@ vcgn.org.

See what’s playing at local theaters in the movies section.

‘THE LAST REEF 3D’: See WED.5.

‘WARREN MILLER’S FACE OF WINTER’: See WED.5, Strand Center for the Arts, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 7:30 p.m. $19. Info, 518-5631604, ext. 105.

food & drink

COMMUNITY LUNCH: Gardengrown fare makes for a delicious and nutritious midday meal. Še Pathways Vermont Community Center, Burlington, 1-2 p.m. Free. Info, 888-492-8218, ext. 309.

games

INTERNATIONAL BOUTIQUE: See WED.5.

CHITTENDEN COUNTY CHESS CLUB: Checkmate! Strategic thinkers make calculated moves as they vie for their opponents’ kings. Shaw’s, Shelburne Rd., South Burlington, 7-9:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-5403.

dance

health & fitness

bazaars

DANCE COMPANY OF MIDDLEBURY: IN-PROGRESS SHOWING: Dance devotees view an original evening-length work to be performed and toured in January. Dance Šeatre, Mahaney Center for the Arts, Middlebury College, 5 p.m. Free. Info, 443-3168. SALSA NIGHT: DJ JP spins salsa, bachata, merengue and kizomba selections for an evening of moving and shaking. Še Old Post, South Burlington, 7-11 p.m. Free. Info, 497-0202.

COMMUNITY MINDFULNESS: A 20-minute guided practice with Andrea O’Connor alleviates stress and tension. Tea and a discussion follow. Winooski Senior Center, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 233-1161. PANEL DISCUSSION: Experts weigh in on “Integrative Approaches on Trauma-Informed Care.” Davis Auditorium, Medical Education Center Pavilion, University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, 6-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 656-9266. RUTLAND ZEN SANGHA MEDITATION: Folks meet for a Zen Buddhist spiritual practice including meditation and liturgy. Email for more info before attending. Chaffee Art Center, Rutland, 7:15-7:45 a.m. Donations. Info, ryohad@ comcast.net. STRESS REDUCTION WITH ACUPUNCTURE & CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE: Christina Ducharme of Blue Heron Acupuncture touts the beneﬁts of regular treatments. A Q&A follows the 30-minute talk. Jaquith Public Library, Marshﬁeld, 6:307:30 p.m. Free. Info, 595-2248.

helped launch over 150 businesses, and reduced

YANG 24 TAI CHI: Slow, graceful, expansive movements promote wide-ranging health and ﬁtness beneﬁts. Great Room, Wright House, Harrington Village, Shelburne, 4-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 735-5467.

We witness participants discovering purpose,

YOGA: A Sangha Studio instructor guides students who are in recovery toward achieving inner tranquility. Turning Point Center, Burlington, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 448-4262.

For nearly 20 years we have supported adult learners with innovative education, recidivism while advocating for justice reform.

developing skills, and making transformative changes towards self-sufficiency and success.

We Are All Connected.

Help us make a difference

holidays

at mercyconnections.org

‘CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT’: After lying about being the perfect housewife, a food writer must keep up her image as her boss joins her for a traditional family Christmas in a 1945 romantic comedy. Woodstock Town Hall Šeatre, 7:30-9:15 p.m. $5. Info, 457-3981. PUBLIC MENORAH LIGHTING: Community members light the night in honor of Hanukkah. Jericho Town Green, 5 p.m. Free. Info, draizy@chabadvt.org.

language

FRENCH CONVERSATION: Speakers improve their linguistic dexterity in the Romantic tongue. Bradford Public Library, 4 p.m. Free. Info, 222-4536.

ADVANCED SUN TAI CHI 73: Participants keep active with a sequence of slow, controlled movements. Twin Valley Senior Center, East Montpelier, 1-2 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3322.

montréal

BEGINNERS TAI CHI CLASS: Students get a feel for the ancient Chinese practice. Twin Valley Senior Center, East Montpelier, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 223-3322.

Find club dates in the music section.

CHAIR YOGA WITH SANGHA STUDIO: Supported poses promote health and wellbeing. Champlain Senior Center, Burlington, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 448-4262.

EDUCATION • MENTORING • ENTREPRENEURSHIP

‘A DOLL’S HOUSE, PART 2’: See WED.5, 8 p.m.

music

ACABELLAS: An all-female ensemble serves up a lively a cappella performance. McCarthy Arts Center, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 654-2000.

THU.6

Sponsored by Pomerleau Real Estate

Nurturing Self-Sufficiency

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SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

11/26/18 2:44 PM

calendar

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JAZZ SHOWCASE: Middlebury College singers and instrumentalists join forces in a celebration of the genre. Lower Lobby, Mahaney Center for the Arts, Middlebury College, 8 p.m. Free. Info, 443-3168. MISS GUIDED ANGELS: A blend of folk, blues, country and pop music from the Rutland-based group ﬁnds eager ears. Chaffee Art Center, Rutland, 7-9 p.m. $7. Info, 775-0356.

SABRINA COMELLAS: The singer-songwriter evokes the Americana-pop style made popular by the likes of Bob Dylan and Gillian Welch. Wine, Fiddlehead Brewing beer and Luiza’s Homemade With Love pierogi are on the menu. Shelburne Vineyard, 6-9 p.m. Cost of food and drink. Info, 985-8222.

EARLY-WINTER BIRD MONITORING WALK: Birders with experience using binoculars and identifying avian songs spot feathered ﬂiers. Ofﬁce building, Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 8-10 a.m. Donations. Info, 434-3068.

seminars

BURLINGTON’S WILDLIFE: RECOGNIZING TRACKS & SIGN: Ever wondered what wild creatures are moving through local backyards and natural areas? A presentation introduces animal lovers to the city’s large mammals and the signs they leave behind. Gordon H. Paquette Ice Arena, Burlington, 6:30-7:45 p.m. $5. Info, trackingvt@gmail.com.

Visit www.kissvermont.com to see the full list of dates!

sports

BURLINGTON'S HOME FOR CLASSIC HIP-HOP

FREE AIKIDO CLASS: An introduction to the Japanese martial art focuses on centering and ﬁnding freedom while under attack. Aikido of Champlain Valley, Burlington, 6-7:15 p.m. Free. Info, 951-8900.

Listen each week to ﬁnd out which of these locations we'll be at PRESENTED BY:

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

ANIMA: Voices carry when the female vocal ensemble presents “‘Songs of Mary.” Bag lunches are welcome. Christ Episcopal Church, Montpelier, noon. Donations. Info, 223-3631.

outdoors

McGillicuddy's Five Corners Rozzi's Lakeshore Tavern Ruben James Ri Ra Irish Pub

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ALPENGLOW, PAPER CASTLES & HELLO SHARK: Three local bands draw Burlington-area music lovers. The Hive Collective, Burlington, 8 p.m. $8-10. Info, greenbus@sover.net.

ROBINSON & ROHE: Liam Robinson and Jean Rohe bring their folk-music roots and contemporary sensibilities to “The Longest Winter,” a recital of ancient Christmas carols. See calendar spotlight. The Roost, Underhill, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $15-20. Info, 434-4563.

Warm Up Wednesdays

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JAZZ GUITAR COMBO & LATIN JAZZ ENSEMBLE: Student musicians show their chops in a varied concert. University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 656-3040.

SKI

THU.6

11/20/18 1:27 PM

talks

BARRY DEITZ: The Dickens scholar reads into the author’s life and work in “Charles Dickens and the Writing of A Christmas Carol.” St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 745-1391. BRIAN LINDNER: Ski bums hear “History of the Mount Mansﬁeld Ski Patrol,” a Red Bench Discussion about the oldest ski patrol in the United States. A panel discussion follows. Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum, Stowe, 6:30 p.m. $10. Info, 253-9911. ‘SEN. JOHN KERRY’S WINTER SOLDIER INVESTIGATION TESTIMONY & MILITARY VETERANS’ WELLBEING’: During a 10-session literary series, avid readers discuss titles that have contributed to improving social justice and American life. Trinity Episcopal Church, Shelburne, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, humanities@ email.com.

theater

FRI.7

bazaars

INTERNATIONAL BOUTIQUE: See WED.5. NEWBERRY POP-UP MARKET: Vendors purvey a variety of Vermont-made products. 5 S. Main St., White River Junction, 5-8 p.m. Free. Info, 299-0212.

community

FEAST TOGETHER OR FEAST TO GO: Senior citizens and their guests catch up over a shared meal. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, noon-1 p.m. $7-9; preregister. Info, 262-6288.

crafts

CRAFTY CRAP NIGHT: Participants bring supplies or ongoing projects and an adventurous attitude to share creative time with other people in recovery. Turning Point Center, Burlington, 4 p.m. Free. Info, 861-3150.

CIRQUE MECHANICS: The celebrated circus troupe transports audience members to a world of gears, pulleys, strongmen and aerialists in 42ft — A Menagerie of Mechanical Marvels. Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., 7 p.m. $10-40. Info, 603-646-2422.

dance

‘THE DROWSY CHAPERONE’: Middlebury Community Players present Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison’s Tony Award-winning musical parody of 1920s jazz shows, as seen through the eyes of a passionate fan. Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 8 p.m. $1523. Info, 382-9222.

DANCE END-OF-SEMESTER SHOWING: From class projects to independent student work, diverse performances captivate audience members. University of Vermont Southwick Ballroom, Redstone Campus, Burlington, 4 p.m. Free. Info, 656-3040.

‘LUNGS’: A modern couple explores the moral dilemmas of becoming parents while preserving their own identities in this theater work by senior Becky Lafon. Hepburn Zoo, Hepburn Hall, Middlebury College, 8 p.m. $6. Info, 443-3168. NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE: ‘ANTONY & CLEOPATRA’: Ralph Fiennes and Sophie Okonedo portray Shakespeare’s famous fated couple in his great tragedy of politics, passion and power, broadcast to the big screen. Palace 9 Cinemas, South Burlington, 2 & 7 p.m. $18. Info, 863-5966. ROALD DAHL’S ‘MATILDA: THE MUSICAL’: See WED.5, 2 & 7:30 p.m.

words

EXTEMPO: Local raconteurs tell ﬁrst-person true stories before a live audience. Mingle Nightclub, Barre, 8-10 p.m. $5. Info, 249-4551. POETRY WORKSHOP: Wordsmiths analyze creative works-in-progress penned by Burlington Writers Workshop members. 110 Main St., Suite 3C, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free; preregister at meetup.com; limited space. Info, 383-8104.

BALLROOM & LATIN DANCING: Singles, couples and beginners are welcome to join in a dance social featuring waltz, tango and more. Williston Jazzercise Fitness Center, 8-9:30 p.m. $8. Info, 862-2269.

ECSTATIC DANCE VERMONT: Inspired by the 5Rhythms dance practice, attendees move, groove, release and open their hearts to life in a safe and sacred space. Christ Episcopal Church, Montpelier, 7-9 p.m. $10. Info, fearnessence@gmail.com. ENGLISH COUNTRY DANCE: Adina Gordon and Martha Kent lead adults and teens in steps popular in the time of Jane Austen. Bring potluck snacks. Elley-Long Music Center, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, 7-9:30 p.m. $10-15. Info, 881-9732. FIRST FRIDAY FOLK DANCING: Participants make strides in circle, line and couple dances. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 6:30-8:30 p.m. $3-5. Info, 223-2518. SALSA DANCING: Marlenis Beebe helps individuals and couples ﬁnd their footing. Chaffee Art Center, Rutland, 6-7:30 p.m. Donations. Info, 775-0356.

education

INSTANT DECISION DAYS: Prospective students tour the campus and apply for on-thespot admission. Northern Vermont University-Johnson, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 635-1219.

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etc.

JOB HUNT HELPERS: Employment seekers get assistance with everything from starting an email account to completing online applications. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 1-4 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338. MAD RIVER VALLEY BACKCOUNTRY COALITION LAUNCH PARTY: A celebration of the Mad River Valley’s backcountry skiing and riding community is complete with a slideshow, raffles, local beverages and live bluegrass by the Mad Mountain Scramblers. Mad River Glen, Waitsfield, 7-10 p.m. Free. Info, info@mrvbc.org. TALENT SHOW: fie spotlight shines brightly on student performers who use their talents to raise funds for victims of Hurricane Michael. Alexander Twilight fieatre, Nor thern Vermont University-Lyndon, 7 p.m. $3-5. Info, lillie.farrell@ northernvermont.edu. TAROT READINGS: A spiritual mentor consults her cards to offer guidance and clarity. Zenbarn Studio, Waterbury, 5:30-8:30 p.m. $1 per minute; preregister. Info, studio@zenbarnvt.com.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the movies section. ‘DEAR JESSE’: In this hardhitting 1998 documentary, ﬁlmmaker Tim Kirkman explores the parallels and differences between himself and anti-gay senator Jesse Helms. Café Anna, Vermont College of Fine Arts, Montpelier, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 828-8828. ‘THE LAST REEF 3D’: See WED.5. ‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: See WED.5. ‘WARREN MILLER’S FACE OF WINTER’: See WED.5, Flynn MainStage, Burlington, 6:30 & 9:30 p.m. $19.27. Info, 863-5966.

FOMO? Find even more local events in this newspaper and online:

art Find visual art exhibits and events in the art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.

film See what’s playing at local theaters in the movies section and at sevendayst.com/movies.

food & drink

FISH DINNER: Seafood lovers get their ﬁll of formerly ﬁnned fare. Essex Junction VFW Post, 6-7 p.m. $12. Info, 878-0700.

games

BRIDGE CLUB: See WED.5, 9:15 a.m. CRIBBAGE TEAMS: See WED.5. PINOCHLE & RUMMY: See WED.5.

health & fitness

ACUDETOX: Attendees in recovery undergo acupuncture to the ear to propel detoxiﬁcation. Turning Point Center, Burlington, 3 p.m. Free. Info, 861-3150. CHILL TO THE ‘CHI’ QIGONG: Meditative, relaxing movement patterns are based on ancient Chinese concepts of health and well-being. Waterbury Public Library, 11:30 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 244-7036. GONG MEDITATION: Sonic vibrations lead to healing and deep relaxation. Yoga Roots, Williston, 7:30-8:30 p.m. $18. Info, 318-6050. MOVE TO THE MUSIC: Propelled by music ranging from big band to country western, participants sit or stand while completing light strength- and balanceboosting activities. Waterbury Public Library, 11 a.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 244-7036. REFUGE RECOVERY: A LOVE SUPREME: Buddhist philosophy is the foundation of this mindfulness-based addictionrecovery community. Turning Point Center, Burlington, noon. Free. Info, 861-3150. RUTLAND ZEN SANGHA MEDITATION: See THU.6.

holidays

CANTIAMO WOMEN’S CHORUS: Bella Voce Women’s Chorus’ a cappella small ensemble treats listeners to festive and joy-filled selections. Williston Old Brick Church, 7-9 p.m. $11-15. Info, 764-1141. ‘CHRISTMAS IN NOISY VILLAGE’: Based on a story by Pippi Longstocking author Astrid Lindgren, this endearing musical centers on close-knit farming families who create a homespun Swedish Christmas. Plainfield Town Hall Opera House, 7:30-9 p.m. $15. Info, 454-1286. CHRISTMAS MUSIC: Folks gather for festive songs, readings and refreshments. United Reformed Church, New Haven, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 897-2697. CÒIG: SOLD OUT. Hailing from Nova Scotia, this all-star band serves up an evening of fiery Celtic holiday tunes. University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $10-40. Info, 656-4455. COLCHESTER COMMUNITY CHORUS: “Christmas Joy” puts smiles on listeners’ faces. Colchester High School, 7:30 p.m. Donations. Info, 862-3910.

COMMON SPIRIT CELEBRATION: An old-fashioned holiday farmers market complements an art walk, horse-drawn buggy rides, cookies with Santa and an annual tree-lighting ceremony. Various Northﬁeld locations, 4-7 p.m. Free. Info, 485-8586. COUNTRY CHRISTMAS: Mad River Valley shops, galleries, inns and restaurants welcome winter in style with two days of indoor and outdoor fun for the whole family. Various Mad River Valley locations, 8 a.m.-11 p.m. Free. Info, 496-6682. ‘THE GIFT OF CHRISTMAS COOKIES’: A generous family experiences a life-changing event in this play by local storyteller Michael Caduto, presented as a staged reading. Audience members may offer feedback after the reading. ArtisTree Community Arts Center & Gallery, South Pomfret, 6-7 p.m. Free. Info, 457-3500. HOLIDAY GALA FUNDRAISER: Revelers ring in the season at a formal Barn Opera bash boasting a catered dinner and local libations. Compass Music and Arts Center, Brandon, 6 p.m. $25; preregister; cash bar. Info, 247-4259. HOLIDAY HUMBUG MAKER MARKET & HOLIDAY FEST: ﬁose looking to support local makers mix, mingle and shop amid live music and refreshments. Generator, Burlington, 5-9 p.m. Free. Info, 540-0761.

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‘THE HOLIDAY’: Two women played by Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz ﬁnd love with localCOLORFUL guys during an international holiday house swap. Woodstock TABLE LINENS Town Hall ﬁeatre, 7:30 p.m. $5. BENNINGTON Info, 457-3981.

POTTERY DECORATIVE ACCESSORIES GLASSWARE VT MADE, FAIR TRADE & RECYCLED OPTIONS ‘THE NUTCRACKER’: Ballet CANDLES Wolcott’s Youth Company, students and community membersGREETING dance to Tchaikovsky’s classic CARDS score. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, 7 p.m. $15-30. BAKEWARE Info, 533-2000. HOLIDAY PEACHAM CORNER GUILD HOLIDAY SHOP: Small antiques,DECORATIONS handcrafted gifts, specialty FUN foods and Christmas decorations beckon buyers. Peacham Corner STOCKING Guild, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, STUFFERS 592-3332. FURNITURE ‘THE REGIFTERS’: A couple learns the monetary value of a MUCH MORE ‘KRAMPUSNACHT — STORIES OF LIGHT AND DARK FOR THE WINTER SOLSTICE’: ﬁe dark companion of St. Nicholas himself presides over a theatrical presentation of short stories, folktales and lesserknown Christmas traditions. Spice Performing Arts Studio, Rochester, 7:30-8:30 p.m. $10. Info, 767-4800.

not-so-great Christmas present — after they’ve passed it on to someone else. Presented by Essex Community Players. Essex Memorial Hall, 7:30 p.m. $14-18. Info, 878-9109. ROBINSON & ROHE: See THU.6, 246 Blackbird Swale Drive, Huntington. FRI.7

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SAINT MICHAEL’S COLLEGE CHORALE & STRING ENSEMBLE: A Christmas concert inspires festive feelings. Chapel of Saint Michael the Archangel, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 654-2000.

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FIRST FRIDAY: WINTER WONDERLAND: Emoji Nightmare and Nikki Champagne host an LGBTQ dance party with DJ Llu and DJ VU in the booth. Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington, 8 p.m. $5-10. Info, 652-0777.

music

bazaars

Find club dates in the music section. ANTARA & CHRIS CHENEY: œe guitarist and bass player put forth original music. E1 Studio Collective, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Donations. Info, lilahz2017@ gmail.com. EDDY & KIM LAWRENCE: œe married couple captivates listeners with quirky originals played on guitar and upright bass. Palmer Street Coffeehouse, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 7:30 p.m. $10. Info, 518-561-6920.

theater

‘THE ARSONISTS’: œe V alley Players take the stage with Max Frisch’s explosive comedy exploring the idea of the innocent bystander. Valley Players œeater , Waitsﬁeld, 7:30-9 p.m. $12-14. Info, 583-1674.

‘PLACES PLEASE!’: Broadway favorites, contemporary classical music and ’80s pop numbers pepper Keigwin and Company’s cabaret-style performance set backstage during the ﬁnal moments before the curtain rises. FlynnSpace, Burlington, 8 p.m. $30. Info, 863-5966. ROALD DAHL’S ‘MATILDA: THE MUSICAL’: See WED.5, 7:30 p.m.

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

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words

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INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY MEETING PLACE: Anything goes in an in-person networking group where folks can share hobbies, play music and discuss current events — without using online social sites. Presto Music Store, South Burlington, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 658-0030.

NORTHWESTERN VERMONT MODEL RAILROAD OPEN HOUSE: Locomotive enthusiasts follow the tracks to a display of large and small operating layouts. Used trains and accessories are available for sale. Northwestern Vermont Model Railroad Association, Essex Junction, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Donations. Info, 879-8616.

‘THE DROWSY CHAPERONE’: See THU.6.

861 WILLISTON RD SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT 05403

PETER GOULD: œe Vermont author and activist reads from his nonﬁction book about the backto-the-land movement, HorseDrawn Yogurt: Stories From Total Loss Farm. Brown Library, Sterling College, Craftsbury Common, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 586-7711.

HISTORIC BARN HOUSE TOURS: Attendees view authentic African art, impressive architecture and antique ﬁxtures during a stroll through historic buildings. Clemmons Family Farm, Charlotte, 10-11:30 a.m. $10; preregister. Info, 310-0097.

SEEING & DISRUPTING RACISM: A workshop geared toward white community members elucidates the concept of white fragility and prepares participants to challenge prejudice. Arrive at 1:30 p.m. to participate in a PJC new volunteer orientation. Peace & Justice Center, Burlington, 2-3 p.m. Free. Info, 863-2345, ext. 9.

CIRQUE MECHANICS: See THU.6, 8 p.m.

BUY, SELL, & TRADE

FRIDAY MORNING WORKSHOP: Wordsmiths offer constructive criticism on works in progress by Burlington Writers Workshop members. 110 Main St., Suite 3C, Burlington, 10:30 a.m. Free; preregister at meetup.com; limited space. Info, 383-8104.

etc.

SAT.8

‘BROADWAY DIRECT’: Veteran performer Bill Carmichael leads a lineup of talented thespians in an evening of popular tunes. Vergennes Opera House, 7:30 p.m. $5-18. Info, 877-6737.

Nikon Inc limited warranty included. *Instant savings valid 12/2/18 to 12/29/18 only. While supplies last.

page-turners pique shoppers’ interest. Rutland Free Library, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Info, 773-1860.

LEGAL CLINIC: Attorneys offer complimentary consultations on a ﬁrst-come, ﬁrst-served basis. 274 N. Winooski Ave., Burlington, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 383-2118.

lgbtq

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WASSAIL WEEKEND: Folks spread holiday cheer at this annual three-day fête including an equestrian parade, concerts, holiday shopping and a historic home tour. Various Woodstock locations, 10 a.m. Prices vary. Info, 457-3555.

Main Street, Richmond Open 8 to 6 Daily

was $1,546.95 limited time:

FRI.7

SENIOR HOLIDAY DINNER: Members of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ staff provide brief updates on senior-related issues along with a meal complete with music by local students. St. Johnsbury House, noon. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, 862-0697.

JUNIOR SKI LEASE Packages start at $99.00 SNOWBOARD LEASE Packages start at $159.00 BINDING CALIBRATION This adjustment should be made yearly for your safety! $28.95

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calendar

activism

CRAFT FAIR: Folks feast their eyes on homemade holiday goodies. Baked treats and rafﬂes round out the fun. œe Renaissance School at Shelburne Commons, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, 985-2153.

SANCTUARY CITY COFFEEHOUSE: Locals bring a dish to pass and a song, poem or story to share in an open-mic setting. First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington, 6-8:30 p.m. Donations. Info, herbschr@gmail.com.

GREEN MOUNTAIN PUG RESCUE CRAFT/VENDOR SHOW: A pug kissing booth and rafﬂes round out a gathering of makers and sellers. Rice Memorial High School, South Burlington, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 735-5517.

SPECTACULAR SPECTACULAR: Youngsters skilled in singing, dancing and instrument-playing show their stuff on stage. Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, 12:30 p.m. $7-10; free for kids 6 and under. Info, 877-987-6487.

INTERNATIONAL BOUTIQUE: See WED.5, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

fairs & festivals

comedy

PIFF THE MAGIC DRAGON: Clad in a dragon costume, the comedian seen on “NBC’s America’s Got Talent” elicits big laughs. See calendar spotlight. Paramount œeatre, Rutland, 7:30 p.m. $39. Info, 775-0903.

dance

CONTRA DANCE: Adina Gordon is the caller at a spirited social dance featuring live music by Red Dog Riley. Bring clean, softsoled shoes. Cornwall Town Hall, 7-9:30 p.m. $5-10. Info, 462-3722. GALA WORKS IN PROGRESS SHOWCASE #2: Choreographers let audience members in on their creative processes as they prepare for the Vermont Dance Alliance Winter Dance Gala in February. River Arts, Morrisville, 5 p.m. $15-30. Info, info@vermont dance.org.

education

INSTANT DECISION DAYS: Prospective students tour the campus and apply for on-thespot admission. Northern Vermont University-Lyndon, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 626-6413.

MIDWINTER FEST: ‘Tis the season for bonﬁres, pork shoulder and plenty of locally made mead. Colchester’s Mead Hall, noon8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 497-2345.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the movies section. ‘ALL IN’: A family-oriented, buffet-style dinner of soup and bread sets the stage for a screening of Matchstick Productions’ latest ski movie. Sleepy Hollow Inn Ski & Bike Center, Huntington, dinner, 6 p.m.; movie and rafﬂe, 7 p.m. $15-20 includes dinner. Info, 434-2283. ‘THE BLIZZARD OF AAHHH’S’: Shown as part of its 30th anniversary tour, this 1988 rockumentary-style ski ﬁlm spotlights some of the sport’s hottest stars of the day. A silent auction and cash bar at the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum in Stowe from 6 to 9 p.m. precede two screenings. Stowe Town Hall œeatre, 7 & 9 p.m. $20. Info, bofa@tixbeast.com. ‘THE LAST REEF 3D’: See WED.5. ‘MIRAI’: See WED.5, 12:55 p.m. ‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: See WED.5.

LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT

‘OLIVER!’: An orphaned boy yearns to escape London’s seedy underworld in this Academy Awardwinning adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic story Oliver Twist. Newman Center, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 7 p.m. Donations. Info, serious_61@yahoo.com.

food & drink

CHOCOLATE TASTING IN BURLINGTON: Let’s go bar hopping! With the help of a tasting guide, chocoholics discover the flavor profiles of varieties such as toffee almond crunch and salted caramel latte. Lake Champlain Chocolates Factory Store & Café, Burlington, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Info, 864-1807. PANCAKE BREAKFAST & SILENT AUCTION: Stacks of flapjacks give way to bidding on donated crafts, gifts and services. Sustainability Academy, Lawrence Barnes School, Burlington, 8:30-11:30 a.m. $420; free for kids 2 and under. Info, sustainabilitypto@gmail.com. VERGENNES FARMERS MARKET: Local foods and crafts, live music, and hot eats spice up Saturday mornings. Kennedy Brothers Building, Vergennes, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 233-9180.

health & fitness

NEWBIE NOON CLASS: Firsttimers get their stretch on in a comfortably warm environment. Hot Yoga Burlington, noon-1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 999-9963. OPEN HOUSE: ¡e clinic opens its doors to community members who experience free treatments, demos, wellness giveaways and rafﬂes. Vermont Community Acupuncture, Burlington, 1-4 p.m. Free. Info, 657-3700.

holidays

CAROL ANN JONES QUARTET: Audience members are invited to sing along with holiday classics and contemporary favorites. Light refreshments are available. Saint Albans Museum, 7-9 p.m. $15; cash bar. Info, 527-7933. CBD HEMP FARMERS MARKET: HOLIDAY EDITION: More than 20 local vendors celebrate all things hemp. Burlington City Hall Auditorium, noon-4 p.m. Free. Info, info@headyvermont.com. CHRISTMAS AT THE FARM: Families celebrate the holidays 19th-century-style with ornamentmaking, farm-life exhibits and seasonal programs. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $4-16; free for members and kids under 3. Info, 457-2355. CHRISTMAS COOKIE SALE: Fancy cookies, candies, Dutch goodies and other treats are sold by the pound. Champlain Valley Christian Reformed Church, Vergennes, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 349-0229. ‘CHRISTMAS IN NOISY VILLAGE’: See FRI.7, 2-3:30 & 7:30-9 p.m. CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE: Festive families shake hands with vendors and snap photos with Santa from noon-3 p.m.

Vintage Inspired Lifestyle Marketplace, Burlington, 10 a.m.5 p.m. Free. Info, 488-5766.

not-so-classic songs. ArtsRiot, Burlington, 5:30 & 9 p.m. $15. Info, 540-0406.

CÒIG: See FRI.7, Woodstock Town Hall ¡eatre, 8 p.m. $20-40. Info, 457-3981.

‘THE NUTCRACKER’: See FRI.7, 2 p.m.

‘CLARA’S DREAM: A NUTCRACKER STORY’: Fresh choreography puts a new spin on the classic ballet for adults and kids alike. Preperformance tea at the Lebanon Ballet School is optional for some shows. Lebanon Opera House, N.H., 1 & 4 p.m. $9-43. Info, 603-448-0400. COOKIE WALK: Sweets lovers stuff boxes and bags with taste bud-tempting baked goods. Damon Hall, Hartland, 10 a.m.noon. $8-35. Info, 436-2792. COUNTRY CHRISTMAS: See FRI.7. GIBSON BROTHERS: Ring in the holidays with Upstate New York’s first family of bluegrass, presenting A North Country Christmas. Barre Opera House, 7 p.m. $2529.50. Info, 476-8188. GREEN MOUNTAIN CHORUS & BARRE-TONES: Men’s and women’s quartets and choruses band together to perform holiday favorites in the barbershop style. Hunger Mountain Christian Assembly, Waterbury Center, 2-3:30 p.m. $5-15; free for kids under 9. Info, 505-9595. HEMP HOLIDAY WEEKEND: Heady Vermont hosts two days of festivities centered on Vermont’s growing hemp industry — think a themed brunch, a CBD farmers market and a film screening. See headyvermont. com for the full schedule. Various Burlington locations, noon-4 p.m. Prices vary. Info, info@ headyvermont.com. HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR: Neighbors catch up at this seasonal fête featuring locally made art and crafts. Maple Corner Community Center, Calais, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 229-6861. HOLIDAY HOUSE TOUR: Deck the halls! Historic homes are open to visitors as part of Wassail Weekend. Downtown Woodstock, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. $35-45; free for kids 17 and under. Info, 457-3981. HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: What better way to embrace the spirit of the season in the Capital City than by taking a downtown wagon ride, decorating cookies and visiting Jolly Old St. Nick? City Center, Montpelier, noon-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-9604. MAD RIVER CHORALE: Vocalists sing their hearts out in “Wintertide Carols.” Waitsfield United Church of Christ, 7:30 p.m. $10-15. Info, 496-2048. MERCY MARKETPLACE: Participants in Mercy Connections, a nonprofit dedicated to nurturing self-sufficiency through education, mentoring and community, offer homemade crafts, art and tasty treats. Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 846-7063. ‘MERRY TWISTMAS’: Neat, With a Twist presents a musical variety show chock-full of classic and

PEACHAM CORNER GUILD HOLIDAY SHOP: See FRI.7. PEACHERINE RAGTIME SOCIETY ORCHESTRA: Cinephiles travel back to the 1900s as the ensemble provides live scores for holiday-themed silent films such as The Frozen North and A Christmas Carol. See calendar spotlight. Strand Center for the Arts, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 7 p.m. $10-25. Info, 518-563-1604, ext. 105. ‘THE REGIFTERS’: See FRI.7, 2 & 7:30 p.m. ROBINSON & ROHE: See THU.6, Bread & Butter Farm, Shelburne. SHARE THE LIGHT: A HANUKKAH PARTY: Adults party it up with a vegetarian buffet, a menorahlighting ceremony and a highenergy Klezmer concert by the Klezwoods. Partial proceeds benefit Capstone Community Action. Zenbarn, Waterbury, 5:30-10 p.m. $45. Info, 244-8134. SOUTH BURLINGTON COMMUNITY CHORUS: Singers find perfect harmony in spirited renditions of “Snow” by Irving Berlin and “Sim Shalom,” a poignant prayer for peace. McCarthy Arts Center, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, 7:30-9 p.m. $10; free for kids under 18. Info, 846-4108. VICTORIAN HOLIDAY CELEBRATION: Visitors ring in the holiday season with refreshments, live music and a Christmas reading by Bob Joly. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 1-2 p.m. Free. Info, 745-1393. WASSAIL WEEKEND: See FRI.7, 8 a.m. WONDERARTS HOLIDAY MARKET: Local art, crafts and body-care products from more than 45 vendors catch shoppers’ eyes. Craftsbury Academy, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 533-9370.

‘Tis the season treating for giving yourself 185 Bank Street | Downtown Burlington 802.862.3042 | TickTockJewelers.com 4t-ticktock120518.indd 1

11/6/18 10:30 AM

deadlines DECEMBER 19 & 26 ISSUES*

language

• Calendar Events

ARMENIAN LANGUAGE: Singing, dancing, drama and games promote proﬁciency. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 2-3 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7211.

° ursday, 12/13, at noon (for events scheduled 12/19 – 1/9)

• Art Shows & Club Dates

DUTCH LANGUAGE CLASS: Planning a trip to Amsterdam? Learn vocabulary and grammar basics from a native speaker. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, bheeks@ yahoo.com.

Friday, 12/14, at noon (for exhibits and shows happening through 1/9)

» sevendaysvt.com/postevent • Classiﬁeds & Classes

‘LE DEUXIÈME SAMEDI’: Frenchlanguage speakers chat and chew in a casual atmosphere. La Villa Bistro & Pizzeria, Shelburne, noon1:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, michelineatremblay@gmail.com.

lgbtq

PRIDE HIKES: GREEN MOUNTAIN AUDUBON CENTER: Clad in weather-appropriate clothing, LGBTQA+ hikers carpool to their destination for an easy trek through sugarbush, woodlands and beaver ponds. Shaw’s, SAT.8

Monday, 12/17, at noon

• Jobs

SEVEN DAYS

° ere will not be a paper published on Wednesday, January 2, 2018.

Monday, 12/17, at noon

» sevendaysvt.com/classifieds • Retail advertising Friday, 12/14, at noon

» 802-864-5684

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SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

12/3/18 4:42 PM

“Best music hall in New England.”

-—Yankee

presents

calendar SAT.8

American Roots Icons

DONNA THE BUFFALO

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2018 7:30 pm

with Special Guests

THE GARY DOUGLAS BAND

With roots in old-timey string band music, Donna the Buffalo weaves together a soulful mix of Cajun, zydeco, rock, folk, reggae, and country sounds into a heady, danceable, Americana musical stew. Heartland rocker Gary Douglas opens.

Tickets on sale now.

chandler-arts.org H 802-728-6464

weekdays 12-4 pm

71–73 Main Street, Randolph, VT

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12/3/18 5:00 PM

The Giving

« P.59

Shelburne Rd., South Burlington, 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Free. Info, gcauser@audubon.org.

montréal

‘A DOLL’S HOUSE, PART 2’: See WED.5, 8 p.m.

music

Find club dates in the music section. CATAMOUNT ARTS BLUEGRASS NIGHT: …e Rev enants and Bob Amos & Catamount Crossing are the featured performers during an evening chock-full of traditional tunes. Masonic Hall. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 7 p.m. Donations. Info, 748-2600. A CONCERT FOR WILDLIFE: David Mallett, Mike Burd and the Sky Blue Boys use their talent to support the campaign to ban leghold traps in Vermont. Black Box …eater , Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7:30-10 p.m. $20. Info, 540-3018. GUITAR OPEN MIKE: Instrumentalists test their talents onstage. Pickering Room, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 658-5792. HIGHLANDS VIEW CHAMBER ENSEMBLE & LASAGNA DINNER: Vocalists ranging in age from 7 to adult share their joy and skills in a concert including Celtic ﬁddle and classical works. Barnet Village Church, 5:30 p.m. $7-15; preregister; limited space. Info, 633-2359. HOT BOX HONEY: Listeners get into the groove with original Latin and jazz numbers. Burnham Hall, Lincoln, 7:30 p.m. $10; free for kids and teens. Info, 388-6863.

Season

Join us and support the Vermont Foodbank. Beginning Giving Tuesday and through December 24th, on every invoice over $100, we will donate five meals to the Vermont Foodbank. Customers can double the contribution by donating five meals themselves, then choose between a Small Dog Coupon Book with over $100 in coupon savings or a Chill Pill Speaker.

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

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outdoors

CAMELS HUMP LOOP HIKE: Outdoor adventurers keep a moderate pace on a difﬁcult trek covering 6 miles of ground and gaining 2,400 feet in elevation. Contact trip leader for details. Free; preregister. Info, 899-9982. MONTHLY WILDLIFE WALK: Birders of all ages and abilities survey feathered friends and other species. Otter View Park, Middlebury, 8 a.m. Free. Info, 388-1007.

sports

PUBLIC SKATING: Active bodies coast across the ice. Plattsburgh State Fieldhouse, N.Y., 3-5 p.m. $2-3; additional cost for rentals. Info, 518-564-4270.

tech

GOOGLE DRIVE 2: Folks who are familiar with using the internet get dialed into the basics of Google Sheets and Google Slides. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister. Info, 865-7217.

theater

‘THE ARSONISTS’: See FRI.7. ‘BROADWAY DIRECT’: See FRI.7, McCarthy Arts Center, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, 2 & 7:30 p.m. $20. Info, 652-2281. CIRQUE MECHANICS: See THU.6, 2 p.m.

MONTPELIER COMMUNITY GOSPEL CHOIR: An uplifting fall concert honors the African American choral tradition. First Presbyterian Church, Barre, 7-9 p.m. $10-25. Info, 778-0881.

‘LUNGS’: See THU.6, 2 & 8 p.m.

RANI ARBO & DAISY MAYHEM: Listeners ﬁnd no “Jingle Bells” in “Wintersong,” a program of seasonal roots music by the New England-based Americana quartet. Chandler Center for the Arts, Randolph, 7:30 p.m. $25-28. Info, 728-9878.

VERMONT CHORAL UNION: …ir ty-two singers give voice to inspirational holiday pieces spanning from the Renaissance era to the present in “A Choral Quilt.” First United Methodist Church, Burlington, 7:30-9 p.m. $15-40. Info, 238-9848.

www.smalldog.com

VOCAL RECITAL: Students of afﬁliate artists Carol Christensen and Susanne Peck culminate their studies in an evening of songs and arias. Robison Hall, Mahaney Center for the Arts, Middlebury College, 8 p.m. Free. Info, 443-3168.

KING ME: Music fans cut a rug on the dance ﬂoor. Essex Junction VFW Post, 7-10 p.m. Donations. Info, 878-0700.

UVM MUSIC FACTORY: Pupils from professor David Feurzeig’s composition class present new, original musical works performed by students and faculty. University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 656-3040.

100 Dorset St., South Burlington, VT

VERMONT FIDDLE ORCHESTRA: Bows in hand, the ensemble gives new life to traditional and contemporary tunes. Unitarian Church of Montpelier, 7 p.m. Donations. Info, 229-4191.

‘THE DROWSY CHAPERONE’: See THU.6. THE METROPOLITAN OPERA LIVE IN HD: ‘THE MAGIC FLUTE’: A broadcast screening of Mozart’s whimsical masterpiece dazzles opera devotees. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 12:55 p.m. $16-25. Info, 748-2600. ‘PLACES PLEASE!’: See FRI.7. ROALD DAHL’S ‘MATILDA: THE MUSICAL’: See WED.5, 2 & 7:30 p.m.

words

BOOK SALE: See FRI.7, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. CHAPTERS IN HISTORY TWO: AS THE U.S. EMERGES READING & DISCUSSION GROUP: Nonfiction fans sink their teeth into The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 2 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581. RICHARD ALLEN: Nonfiction fans drop in to chat with and snag autographs from the author of Reed

Brown’s 1841 Journey: America Through the Eyes of a Vermont Yankee. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

SUN.9

community

COMMUNITY MINDFULNESS PRACTICE: Sessions in the tradition of …ich Nhat Hanh include sitting and walking meditation, a short reading, and open sharing. Evolution Physical …erap y & Yoga, Burlington, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, newleafsangha@gmail.com. SENSORY-FRIENDLY SHOPPING MORNING: With lights dimmed and music and ﬂashing screens turned off, the clothing and outdoor equipment store welcomes those on the autism spectrum to browse the store. L.L. Bean, Burlington, 7:30-10 a.m. Free. Info, 888-615-9973.

dance

BALKAN FOLK DANCING: Louise Brill and friends organize participants into lines and circles set to complex rhythms. Ohavi Zedek Synagogue, Burlington, 3:30-6:30 p.m. $6; free for ﬁrsttimers; bring snacks to share. Info, 540-1020. STUDENT CHOREOGRAPHY SHOWCASE: Abby Enders, Benny Nduwayo and other students present original works in various styles. University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 656-3040.

etc.

YEAR-END CELEBRATION: Live and silent auctions and great eats, drinks, and company are on the menu at a Main Street Alliance of Vermont bash. …e Alchemist, Waterbury, 5-8 p.m. $45-100. Info, 882-8165.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the movies section. ‘FARMER OF THE YEAR’: See THU.6, 3:30-5:30 p.m. ‘THE LAST REEF 3D’: See WED.5. ‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: See WED.5.

food & drink

CHOCOLATE TASTING IN BURLINGTON: See SAT.8. CHOCOLATE TASTING IN MIDDLESEX: Candy fanatics get an education on a variety of sweets made on-site. Nutty Steph’s Granola & Chocolate Factory, Middlesex, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, 229-2090. KNIFE SHARPENING: Dull blades, be gone! Jim Cunningham of JRC Knife Sharpening whets cutting tools. Chef Contos Kitchen & Store, Shelburne, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. $4-5 per knife. Info, 497-3942.

health & fitness

MOVING MEDITATION WUJI GONG: Jeanne Plo leads pupils in an easy-to-learn form of qigong known as “tai chi for

LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT

enlightenment.” Burlington Friends Meeting House, 3:30 p.m. Free. Info, 233-6377. RUTLAND ZEN SANGHA MEDITATION: See THU.6, 5:30 p.m.

holidays

AMARYLLIS: VERMONT’S EARLY VOICE: Susanne Peck directs the local ensemble in “›ere is a Rose: A Capella Christmas Songs and Motets from the 15th & 16th Centuries.” Lincoln United Church, 2 p.m. $15. Info, 453-3513. BURLINGTON CHAMBER ORCHESTRA & AURORA CHAMBER SINGERS: Hark! David Neiweem conducts a holiday concert featuring works by Bach, Haydn and others. First Congregational Church, Burlington, 4-5:30 p.m. $10-25. Info, 863-5966. CHRISTMAS AT THE FARM: See SAT.8. ‘CLARA’S DREAM: A NUTCRACKER STORY’: See SAT.8, 3 p.m. COMMUNITY ‘MESSIAH’ SING: Handel’s holiday favorite is revived with help from a worldclass ensemble and four featured soloists. Our Lady of the Snows, Woodstock, 4-6 p.m. $10. Info, 457-3981. HANUKKAH WONDERLAND: Celebratory activities give way to an afternoon menorah lighting. University Mall, South Burlington, activities, noon; menorah lighting, 4 p.m. Free. Info, draizy@chabadvt.org. HEMP HOLIDAY WEEKEND: See SAT.8, 8 a.m. HINESBURG ARTIST SERIES HOLIDAY CONCERT: Rufus Patrick directs the South County Chorus, In Accord and the Hinesburg Artist Series Orchestra in seasonal songs new and old. Hinesburg St. Jude Catholic Church, 2 & 4:30 p.m. Free; donations of nonperishable food items accepted. Info, 373-0808.

FOMO? Find even more local events in this newspaper and online:

art Find visual art exhibits and events in the art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.

film See what’s playing at local theaters in the movies section and at sevendayst.com/movies.

HOLIDAY MISSION CONCERT: Performers such as Windsong Woodwind Quintet and jazz pianist Chris Wyckoff use their talents to raise money for local folks in need. A reception with light refreshments follows. Vergennes Congregational Church, 2-4 p.m. Donations. Info, vucc@vergennesucc.org. ‘HOME ALONE’: Macaulay Culkin stars as an 8-year-old boy who must single-handedly defend his home against a pair of bungling burglars. Arrive at 2 p.m. for cookies with Santa. Woodstock Town Hall ›eatre, 3-4:45 p.m. $5. Info, 457-3981. LESSONS & CAROLS FOR ADVENT & CHRISTMAS: Jeffrey Buettner directs the Middlebury College Choir in an ear-pleasing program that includes biblical readings. Mead Memorial Chapel, Middlebury College, 4 & 7 p.m. Donations. Info, 443-3168. ‘LOVE ACTUALLY’: Hugh Grand and Emma ›ompson star in this 2003 romantic comedy centered on eight couples and their interrelated stories leading up to Christmas. Woodstock Town Hall ›eatre, 7:30-9:45 p.m. $5. Info, 457-3981. MAD RIVER CHORALE: See SAT.8, Waterbury Congregational Church, 3 p.m. MILTON COMMUNITY BAND: Audience members should warm up their voices ahead of this high-spirited holiday concert including a sing-along and a reading of “›e Night Before Christmas.” Milton Middle/ High School, 2-3 p.m. Free. Info, 578-3467. PEACHAM CORNER GUILD HOLIDAY SHOP: See FRI.7. PEACHERINE RAGTIME SOCIETY ORCHESTRA: See SAT.8, ›e Double E Lounge at Essex Cinemas & T-Rex ›eater , 7 p.m. $15-25. Info, 876-7152. ‘THE REGIFTERS’: See FRI.7, 2 p.m. SAINT MICHAEL’S COLLEGE CHORALE: Student singers ﬁnd perfect harmony in Saint-Saëns’ much-loved but less-heard holiday choral work “Oratorio de Noël.” First Congregational Church, St. Albans, 3-4:30 p.m. Donations. Info, churchstreet soundsoftheseason@gmail.com. SENIOR HOLIDAY DINNER: See FRI.7, Hilton Burlington, 1 p.m. WASSAIL WEEKEND: See FRI.7. WILLIAM TORTOLANO: Audience members warm up their voices for a community sing-along of 17 Christmas and seasonal carols, courtesy of the organist. Blessed Sacrament Church, Stowe, 4:30 p.m. Donations. Info, 253-7536.

language

‘DIMANCHES’ FRENCH CONVERSATION: Native speakers and learners alike chat en français. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 4-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 430-4652.

lgbtq

LGBTQ FIBER ARTS GROUP: A knitting, crocheting and weaving session welcomes all ages,

gender identities, sexual orientations and skill levels. Pride Center of Vermont, Burlington, noon-2 p.m. Free. Info, 860-7812.

montréal

‘A DOLL’S HOUSE, PART 2’: See WED.5, 2 & 7 p.m.

music

Find club dates in the music section. BORROMEO STRING QUARTET: ›is international ly renowned foursome champions works by 20th- and 21st-century composers. See calendar spotlight. Chandler Center for the Arts, Randolph, 3 p.m. $15-42. Info, 728-9878. CONCERT FOR A CAUSE: JOHN STOWELL & DRAA HOBBS: Two highly accomplished jazz guitarists showcase their six-string mastery.. Funds raised beneﬁt Twin Pines Housing. ArtisTree Community Arts Center & Gallery, South Pomfret, 4-5:30 p.m. $5. Info, 457-3500. GREEN MOUNTAIN YOUTH SYMPHONY: ›e reper tory, concert and senior orchestras present a varied program with special guest Tom Frink on clarinet. Barre Opera House, 2 p.m. $5-15; free for kids under 5. Info, 476-8188. MONTPELIER COMMUNITY GOSPEL CHOIR: See SAT.8, Bethany United Church of Christ Montpelier, 4-6 p.m. NORTHEAST FIDDLERS ASSOCIATION MEETING: Lovers of this spirited art form gather to catch up and jam. Canadian Club, Barre, noon-5 p.m. Free; donations of nonperishable food items accepted. Info, 431-3901. NORTHEAST KINGDOM COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA: Conductor Jason Bergman picks up the baton to lead instrumentalists in works by Mozart, Stravinsky and others. Alexander Twilight ›eatre, Nor thern Vermont University-Lyndon, 3 p.m. Donations. Info, 633-2871.

THE GLASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE LARGEST SELECTION OF VAPORIZERS IN VT. LARGE SELECTION OF LOCAL AND FAMOUS GLASS ARTISTS.

LARGEST SELECTION OF SCIENTIFIC AND AMERICAN GLASS IN TOWN

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11/30/18 3:26 PM

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The 4.0 college pass will get you the most days at the best price. 4 resorts, 0 blackout days, $369.

Visit killington.com/thecollegepass Price increases to $429 after 12/16/2018

PAUL ASBELL QUINTET: ›e lifelong guitar player tunes into his own blend of jazz, roots and blues at a CD release concert for Burmese Panther. FlynnSpace, Burlington, 7 p.m. $16-20. Info, 863-5966. RANI ARBO & DAISY MAYHEM: See SAT.8, Richmond Congregational Church, 4-6 p.m. $20-23. Info, 434-4563. UKULELE MÊLÉE: Fingers ﬂy at a group lesson on the four-stringed Hawaiian instrument. BYO uke. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 4-6 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7211. VERMONT FIDDLE ORCHESTRA: See SAT.8, Green Mountain Gospel Chapel, Randolph, 4 p.m.

talks

JOE BIDEN: ›e former V ice President of the United States speaks out on his life and career as part of his American Promise Tour. Flynn MainStage, Burlington, 3 p.m. $45-90. Info, 863-5966. SUN.9

All season pass sales are non-refundable and subject to 6% applicable state and local taxes. Purchaser must be registered as a full-time student for fall and spring semesters and have valid college ID upon picking up the pass.

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theater

‘THE ARSONISTS’: See FRI.7, 3-4:30 p.m. ‘THE DROWSY CHAPERONE’: See THU.6, 2 p.m. ‘THE KING AND I’: Kelli O’Hara and Ken Watanabe star in a revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic royal musical, broadcast in HD from the London Palladium. Loew Auditorium, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., 4 p.m. $10-23. Info, 603-646-2422. ROALD DAHL’S ‘MATILDA: THE MUSICAL’: See WED.5, 2 p.m.

MON.10 dance

VERMONT DANCE ALLIANCE MEETUP: All are welcome to mix, mingle, network and discuss topics in dance. Chase Dance Studio, Flynn Center, Burlington, 6 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, hannasatt@gmail.com.

etc. Burlington, Williston & Lebanon, NH (802)660-3500 • www.gardeners.com/store

DON’T STOP Space is limited and pre-registration is required.

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the presses!

Keep this newspaper free for all. Join the Seven Days Super Readers at sevendaysvt.com/super-readers or call us at 802-864-5684. 62

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

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AMERICAN VETERANS VERMONT POST 1: Žose who have served or are currently serving the country, including members of the National Guard and reservists, are welcome to join AMVETS for monthly meetings. American Legion, Post 91, Colchester, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 796-3098.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the movies section. CINÉ SALON: BRADLEY EROS ‘DISAPPEARING SOON...’: Cinephiles view “Disappearing soon at a theater near you (ephemeral cinema & other acts of life),” which the ﬁlmmaker delivered as the 8th Annual Experimental Lecture at New York University in 2017. Mayer Room, Howe Library, Hanover, N.H., 7 p.m. Free. Info, 603-643-4120. ‘THE LAST REEF 3D’: See WED.5. ‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: See WED.5.

food & drink

BTV POLY COCKTAILS: Žose who are polyamorous, in an open relationship or just curious connect over drinks. Deli 126, Burlington, 7 p.m.-midnight. Free. Info, 253-310-8315. PENNYWISE PANTRY: On a tour of the store, shoppers create a custom template for keeping the kitchen stocked with affordable, nutritious eats. City Market, Onion River Co-op, Downtown Burlington, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 861-9753.

games

BRIDGE CLUB: See WED.5, 6:30 p.m. CRIBBAGE TEAMS: See WED.5.

MAGIC: THE GATHERING — MONDAY NIGHT MODERN: Tarmogoyf-slinging madness ensues when competitors battle for prizes in a weekly game. Brap’s Magic, Burlington, 6:30-10 p.m. $8. Info, 540-0498.

Anglers for a drink and a conversation with Jessi Johnson, cofounder of the sportswomen’s conservation nonproﬁt Artemis. Zero Gravity Craft Brewery, Burlington, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, ericnuse@gmail.com.

PINOCHLE & RUMMY: See WED.5.

tech

health & fitness

CHAIR YOGA WITH SANGHA STUDIO: Supported poses promote health and wellbeing. Heineberg Senior Center, Burlington, 10:45-11:45 a.m. Free. Info, 448-4262. GUIDED GROUP MEDITATION: In keeping with the tradition of Žich Nhat Hanh, folks practice mindfulness through sitting, walking, reading and discussion. Zenbarn Studio, Waterbury, 7:158 p.m. Free. Info, 505-1688.

holidays

AMARYLLIS: VERMONT’S EARLY VOICE: See SUN.9, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church on the Green, Middlebury, 7:30 p.m. ‘THE FAMILY STONE’: A conservative businesswoman played by Sarah Jessica Parker meets her boyfriend’s eccentric family for the ﬁrst time at their annual Christmas gathering. Woodstock Town Hall Žeatre, 7:30-9:15 p.m. $5. Info, 457-3981. GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA: Že world-famous ensemble behind classic hits such as “Chattanooga Choo Choo” interweaves elements of jazz into classics such as “Sleigh Ride” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Town Hall Žeater , Middlebury, 7 p.m. $40. Info, 382-9222.

language

CONVERSATIONAL SPANISH GROUP: Speakers brush up on their language skills en español. Starbucks, Burlington Town Center, 6 p.m. $15. Info, maigomez1@hotmail.com.

lgbtq

LIVE WELL, AGE WELL: Champlain College and the Pride Center of Vermont team up to host a social gathering where folks can chat about healthy aging in the LGBTQ+ community. Richmond Free Library, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, bcolombo@ champlain.edu.

music

Find club dates in the music section. BRICK BOX LIVE: PEPPER & SASSAFRAS: Regional artists step into the spotlight for this musical showcase recorded in front of a live studio audience. Brick Box, Paramount Žeatre, Rutland, 7:30 p.m. $10. Info, 775-0903.

talks

BRIDGET BUTLER: Known as the Bird Diva, this avian aﬁcionado spreads her wings in “Crows and Ravens.” Colchester Meeting House, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 264-5660. PINT NIGHT: Outdoorsy types join Backcountry Hunters &

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TECH HELP WITH CLIF: See WED.5.

words

MUST-READ MONDAYS: Lit lovers cover Raven Black by Ann Cleeves. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6955. READING THROUGH THE BIBLE: Participants gather near the ﬁreplace to peruse the Scriptures. Panera Bread, South Burlington, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, 893-6266.

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community

FEAST TOGETHER OR FEAST TO GO: See FRI.7.

crafts

COMMUNITY CRAFT NIGHT: Makers stitch, spin, knit and crochet their way through projects while enjoying each other’s company. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7211.

dance

SWING DANCING: Quick-footed participants experiment with different forms, including the Lindy hop, Charleston and balboa. Beginners are welcome. Champlain Club, Burlington, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $5. Info, 448-2930. VERMONT DANCE ALLIANCE MEETUP: All are welcome to mix, mingle, network and discuss topics in dance. Studio Zenith, Montpelier, 7:15 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, revelingemma@ gmail.com.

etc.

JOB HUNT HELPERS: See FRI.7. LA LECHE LEAGUE MEETING: Nursing mothers share breastfeeding tips and resources. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 720-272-8841.

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the movies section. ‘THE LAST REEF 3D’: See WED.5. ‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: See WED.5.

games

BRIDGE CLUB: See WED.5, 7 p.m.

health & fitness

ACUPUNCTURE WORKSHOP/ TREATMENT: A simple treatment relieves low mood, fatigue and holiday stress. Optimum Health Acupuncture, Burlington, 6-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister; limited space. Info, info@optimumhealth vt.com.

LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT

OLD SPOKES HOME WOOL JERSEYS BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE SUN-STYLE TAI CHI, LONGFORM: Improved mood, greater muscle strength and increased energy are a few of the benefits of this gentle exercise. South Burlington Recreation & Parks Department, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 735-5467. BEGINNERS TAI CHI CLASS: See THU.6. PEACEFUL WARRIOR KARATE: Martial-arts training promotes healthy living for those in recovery. Turning Point Center, Burlington, 1 p.m. Free. Info, 861-3150. REIKI CLINIC: ‚ir ty-minute treatments foster physical, emotional and spiritual wellness. JourneyWorks, Burlington, 3-5:30 p.m. $10-30; preregister. Info, 860-6203. RUTLAND ZEN SANGHA MEDITATION: See THU.6. YOGA AT THE WINOOSKI VFW: Certified instructors guide veterans and their families through a series of poses. Arrive five to 10 minutes early. Second floor, Winooski VFW Hall, 6-7 p.m. Donations. Info, 655-9832.

holidays

CHRISTMAS PARTY: Colchester High School choral groups make heavenly music at an annual soirée hosted by the Colchester Historical Society. United Church of Colchester, 7-8:30 p.m. Donations. Info, 497-3036. GREEN MOUNTAIN CHORUS REHEARSAL: New and experienced male singers prepare for several seasonal performances. St. Francis Xavier School, Winooski, 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 505-9595. ‘MESSIAH’ SING: Community members are welcome to join the Burlington Choral Society in singing the Christmas choruses of Handel’s composition. North Avenue Alliance Church, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. Donations. Info, bcssingerz@gmail.com.

FOMO? Find even more local events in this newspaper and online:

art Find visual art exhibits and events in the art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.

film See what’s playing at local theaters in the movies section and at sevendayst.com/movies.

language

ARABIC: A six-week language class covers the alphabet and simple conversations. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 863-3403. ‘LA CAUSERIE’ FRENCH CONVERSATION: Native speakers and learners are welcome to pipe up at an unstructured conversational practice. El Gato Cantina, Burlington, 4:30-6 p.m. Free. Info, 540-0195. LUNCH IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE: ITALIAN: Speakers hone their skills in the Romance language over a bag lunch. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338. PAUSE-CAFÉ FRENCH CONVERSATION: Frenchlanguage fanatics meet pour parler la belle langue. Burlington Bay Market & Café, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 430-4652. SOCIAL GATHERING: ‚ose who are deaf or hard of hearing or want to learn American Sign Language get together to break down communication barriers. ‚e Nor th Branch Café, Montpelier, 4-6 p.m. Cost of food and drink. Info, 595-4001.

music

Find club dates in the music section. NORTHERN VERMONT SONGWRITERS: Melody makers meet to share ideas and maximize their creativity. Call for details. Catamount Outback Artspace, St. Johnsbury, 6:45 p.m. Free. Info, 467-9859. OPEN MIC: Singers, players, storytellers and poets entertain a live audience at a monthly showcase of local talent. Wallingford Town Hall, 7-9 p.m. Free. Info, 446-2872.

outdoors

NEW HAVEN RIVER ANGLERS MONTHLY MEETING & PRESENTATION: Social time with a cash bar paves the way for talks targeting Vermonters interested in ﬁshing, friends and preserving the environment. Swift House Inn, Middlebury, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 989-5748.

seminars

MEDICARE & YOU: AN INTRODUCTION TO MEDICARE: Members of the Central Vermont Council on Aging clear up confusion about the application process and plan options. Central Vermont Council on Aging, Barre, 3-5 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 479-0531.

talks

PINT NIGHT: See MON.10, Bear Naked Growler, Montpelier, 6:308:30 p.m. Free. Info, ericnuse@ gmail.com.

theater

‘ON GOLDEN POND’ AUDITIONS: Actors vie for parts in a Poor Lost Circus Performers production of Earnest ‚ompson ’s comic love story about a longtime couple

that returns to a summer home in Maine. Byers Studio, Town Hall ‚eater , Middlebury, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, poorlostcircus performers@gmail.com.

words

100% Italian Merino wool The perfect gift for your favorite cyclist!

BURLINGTON POETRY GROUP: Writers of verse ages 18 through 30 ﬁeld constructive feedback on original works. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, btvpoetry@gmail.com. ED KOREN: ‚e New Yorker cartoonist taps into the ironies of rural living in Koren: In the Wild. Norman Williams Public Library, Woodstock, 6-7 p.m. Free. Info, 457-2411.

Find jerseys and other great holiday gifts in our shop or at oldspokeshome.com

THE MOTH: BEGINNINGS: Wordsmiths have ﬁve minutes to tell true tales inspired by a shared theme. ArtsRiot, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $10; preregister. Info, 540-0406. Untitled-13 1

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GREENER DRINKS: See WED.5.

crafts

FIBER RIOT!: See WED.5.

etc.

OPEN MIC NIGHT: Feats of comedy, music, poetry and storytelling ﬁll ﬁve-, 10- and 15-minute time slots. Main Street Museum, White River Junction, 7-9 p.m. Donations. Info, info@main streetmuseum.org.

Delicious & Healthy Mediterranean Cuisine

film

See what’s playing at local theaters in the movies section. ‘GAUGUIN: THE FULL STORY’: Shown as part of Great Art Wednesdays, this 2003 picture proﬁles Paul Gauguin, one of the world’s most popular yet controversial painters. Town Hall ‚eater , Middlebury, 11 a.m. & 7 p.m. $8-13. Info, 382-9222. ‘HIDDEN FIGURES’: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe portray a team of African American mathematicians who help NASA reach new heights in the early years of the U.S. space program. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, 6 p.m. $5. Info, 533-2000. ‘THE LAST REEF 3D’: See WED.5. ‘MY ARCHITECT: A SON’S JOURNEY’: A 2013 documentary shown as part of the Architecture + Design Film Series chronicles director Nathaniel Kahn’s quest to understand his father, the noted architect Louis Kahn. Burlington City Hall Auditorium, reception, 6 p.m.; screening, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, adﬁlmseries@ gmail.com. ‘MYSTERIES OF THE UNSEEN WORLD 3D’: See WED.5. ‘RBG’: A 2018 documentary outlines the life and career of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Catamount Arts Center, St. Johnsbury, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 748-2600. WED.12

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Find all your holiday gifts at Vermont-owned Phoenix Books.

2 Carmichael Street, ESSEX 802.872.7111 191 Bank Street, Downtown BURLINGTON 802.448.3350 2 Center Street, RUTLAND 802.855.8078 www.phoenixbooks.biz

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TO ISTANBUL AND BACK WITH

EVERY BITE

175 Church Street 802-857-5091 Open 7 Days Lunch, Dinner, Take Out SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018 11/29/18Untitled-4 3:08 PM 1

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food & drink

COMMUNITY SUPPER: See WED.5. COOK THE BOOK: Foodies bring a dish from Debbie Macomber’s Christmas Cookbook: Favorite Recipes and Holiday Traditions from My Home to Yours to a palate-pleasing potluck. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918. THE COOKING CIRCLE: Local chef Alex McGregor leads participants in a discussion of all things food, from ingredients and cooking techniques to gardening and raising animals. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 3-4 p.m. Free. Info, 745-1393.

games

BRIDGE CLUB: See WED.5. CRIBBAGE TEAMS: See WED.5. MAH JONGG: Participants of all levels enjoy friendly bouts of this tile-based game. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 1-3:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

WELCOME WEDNESDAYS: See WED.5.

holidays

ELLEN STIMSON: Readers get into the holiday spirit with the local author of An OldFashioned Christmas: Sweet Traditions for Hearth and Home. Norman Williams Public Library, Woodstock, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 457-2411. HOHOHOLIDAY OPEN MIC: Whether memorized or read aloud, holiday-themed songs, poems, stories and dances delight onlookers. Light refreshments are available. Grange Hall Cultural Center, Waterbury Center, 7 p.m. Donations. Info, 244-4168. HOLIDAY CRAFTS: DIYers fashion winter greens arrangements as well as other seasonal makeand-take items. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

language

BEGINNER & INTERMEDIATE/ ADVANCED ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSES: See WED.5.

PINOCHLE & RUMMY: See WED.5.

LUNCH IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE: SPANISH: See WED.5.

health & fitness

music

ACROYOGA CLASS: See WED.5. WEDNESDAY GUIDED MEDITATION: See WED.5.

Find club dates in the music section.

NORTHERN VERMONT UNIVERSITY — JOHNSON JAZZ ENSEMBLE & FUNK/FUSION ENSEMBLE: Student musicians hit all the right notes in a toetapping concert. Dibden Center for the Arts, Northern Vermont University-Johnson, 7 p.m. $5. Info, 635-1476.

STAYING SAFE IN THREATENING SITUATIONS: BEST PRACTICES FROM A SPECIAL AGENT: Retired FBI special agent Bill McSalis discusses strategies for reducing negative outcomes in a threatening or active shooter situation. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6955.

VERMONT YOUTH STRINGS: Mini maestros provide a musical backdrop for holiday shopping. University Mall, South Burlington, 5-7 p.m. Free. Info, 655-5030.

talks

outdoors

MIDDAY, MIDWEEK MEANDER: Outdoors-loving ladies take in the beauty of woods and ﬁelds in the company of other women. Huntington Open Women’s Land, 1-2 p.m. Donations. Info, 434-3953.

seminars

SOUTH BURLINGTON’S WILDLIFE: RECOGNIZING TRACKS & SIGN: Ever wondered what wild creatures are moving through local backyards and natural areas? A presentation introduces animal lovers to the city’s large mammals and the signs they leave behind. South Burlington City Hall, 7-8:15 p.m. $5. Info, trackingvt@gmail. com.

AMY WELCH: ¢e associate pro fessor of health science provokes thought with “To Run or Relax? Exploring the Arousal Antithesis for Stress Management.” Room 207, Bentley Hall, Northern Vermont University-Johnson, 4-5:15 p.m. Free. Info, les.kanat@ northernvermont.edu. WOMEN IN THE JUDICIARY PANEL DISCUSSION & RECEPTION: Four of the state’s most distinguished judges impart stories, perspectives and advice for the future. Hosted by the Women’s Division of the Vermont Bar Association. Harbor Room, Courtyard Marriott Burlington Harbor, 4:30-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, slednicky@ mhttpc.com.

tech

INTRODUCTION TO POWERPOINT: ¢ose new to the program practice making slide shows, charts, footers and animation. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5:30-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 865-7217.

FOMO? Find even more local events in this newspaper and online:

art

TECH HELP WITH CLIF: See WED.5.

Find visual art exhibits and events in the art section and at sevendaysvt.com/art.

theater

film

ROALD DAHL’S ‘MATILDA: THE MUSICAL’: See WED.5.

words

FICTION WORKSHOP: Readers focus on elements of the craft when responding to work by Burlington Writers Workshop members. 110 Main St., Suite 3C, Burlington, 6:30 p.m. Free; preregister at meetup.com; limited space. Info, 383-8104. RECOVERY WRITE NOW: See WED.5. ‘WINTER TALES’: Folk singers Patti Casey and Pete Sutherland join members of the Young Writers Project and other raconteurs in Vermont Stage’s annual seasonal celebration of stories and songs. Black Box ¢eater , Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $29.70-38.50. Info, 866-811-4111.

See what’s playing at local theaters in the movies section and at sevendayst.com/movies.

WRITING CIRCLE: See WED.5.

HOLIDAY PARKING

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SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

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Downtown Holiday Events

ILLUMINATION NIGHT AT VCFA

Wednesday, 12/5 @ 5:30pm Sing holiday songs, enjoy hot cocoa & treats while sharing in Vermont College of Fine Arts’ annual tree-lighting ceremony. All are welcome!

11/15/18 5:19 PM

7/18/16 3:14 PM

For a sneak peek at this week’s food coverage, events and recipes, sign up for Bite Club — served every Tuesday from your foodie friends at Seven Days.

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Saturday, 12/8 @ 12-5pm Wagon rides, cookie decorating & Santa visits!

To subscribe, visit

sevendaysvt.com/enews

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classes THE FOLLOWING CLASS LISTINGS ARE PAID ADVERTISEMENTS. ANNOUNCE YOUR CLASS FOR AS LITTLE AS $16.75/WEEK (INCLUDES SIX PHOTOS AND UNLIMITED DESCRIPTION ONLINE). SUBMIT YOUR CLASS AD AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTCLASS.

200 Classes for Everyone. CVUHS Campus HINESBURG. Full descriptions at access.cvuhs.org.

access classes at cvu high school 215 CLASSES IN HINESBURG AT CVU HIGH SCHOOL: All ages, all welcome! Fall semester runs Sep. through the end of Jan. New classes beginning every week. Access community education for all, in its 18th year, offers the following classes for the Fall Semester: 50 Art, 30 Culinary Art (cook and eat), 10 Foreign Language, 10 Music, 17 Fitness and Dance, 15 Kids, 17 Computer and Tech, 50 Life Skills, and 15 One Night U. Every person is a learner here, guaranteed. Senior discount. Full descriptions and schedule at access.cvuhs.org. Location: CVU High School, 369 CVU Rd., 10 min. from exit 12, Hinesburg. Info: 482-7194.

ayurveda 200-HOUR AYURVEDA INTEGRATION PROGRAM: Join us in learning and immerse yourself in the oldest surviving preventative health care system. ƒ is program is ideal for yoga teachers, counselors, therapists, bodyworkers, nurses, doctors, wellness coaches, herbalists, etc. VSAC approved and payment plans available. Can transfer hours to Kripalu’s Ayurveda Health Counselor program. More information at ayurvedavermont. com/classes. 2019 schedule: Feb. 9-10, Mar. 9-10, Apr. 6-7, May 17-18, Jun. 8-9, Jul. 13-14, Aug. 17-18, Sep. 14-15, Oct. 19-20, Nov. 16-17. Cost: $2,795. Location: The Ayurvedic Center of Vermont, 34 Oak Hill Rd., Williston. Info: Allison Morse, 872-8898, ayurvedavt@ comcast.net.

Call 865-7166 for info or register online at burlingtoncityarts.org. Teacher bios are also available online.

burlington city arts ABSTRACT PAINTING: Explore the many exciting possibilities of abstract painting through a variety of fun demonstrations and exercises designed to help you open up and work intuitively. Experiment with paint of your choice (water-soluble oils, acrylics or watercolor) and a variety of other mixed media. Beginners are welcome. Thu., Jan. 24-Mar. 7, 6-8:30 p.m. Cost: $225/person; $202.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. ACRYLIC PAINTING: ƒ is class introduces students to the tools and techniques artists use to create successful works of art in one of the most versatile mediums available: acrylic paint. Learn the basics of mixing colors, blending and a variety of acrylic painting techniques. Acrylic paint is the perfect medium for both the beginner and the experienced artist who wants to try something new. Tue., Mar. 26-Apr. 30, 6-8:30 p.m. Cost: $255/person; $229.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. ALTERNATIVE PRINTING: CYANOTYPES: Beat the winter blues! In this one-day workshop, students will create one-of-a-kind blue prints using the historic cyanotype method. Cyanotypes are made by placing negatives, large transparencies or objects on chemically coated watercolor paper, and then exposing the paper to UV light. ƒ is workshop will cover digitally preparing and printing digital negatives, hand-coating watercolor paper, and making the ﬁnal print using a UV light table. Sat., Feb. 23, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Cost: $60/person; $54/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 8657166, burlingtoncityarts.org. ANALOG PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECTS: ƒ is hybrid darkroom and digital lab class will help you reﬁne your skill set to create the

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

work you envision, either traditionally in the black-and-white darkroom, through scanning and printing in the digital lab, or both. ƒ is class will also explore ideas in contemporary photography and theory through select readings and will discuss the technical, aesthetic and conceptual aspects of your work through supportive weekly critique sessions. Bring a selection of recent images to the ﬁrst class. Option 1: Thu., Jan. 17-Mar. 7, 6-9 p.m. Option 2: Thu., Mar. 21-May 9, 6-9 p.m. Cost: $360/person; $324/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. ARTIST AT WORK: BCA’s 2018 Barbara Smail Award recipient Elizabeth Bunsen will discuss her vibrantly colored fabric prints and window installation currently on view at BCA. Following her talk, a moderated discussion between Bunsen and the audience will explore topics such as her career development, daily practice and service in the community. A reception will follow the program. Thu., Mar. 14, 6-7:30 p.m. Location: BCA Center, 135 Church St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org.

painting practices with a contemporary approach to the ﬁgure. Use fresh color and dynamic composition to strengthen your personal expression. Work from live models each week, explore a variety of advanced techniques with nontoxic water-soluble oils and get supportive feedback in a small group environment. Figure drawing experience is recommended. Wed., Mar. 13-May 1, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Cost: $360/ person; $324/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. CURATOR CONNECT: BCA Curator and Director of Exhibitions Heather Ferrell leads a lively conversation to help demystify the curatorial process, as well as give artists practical advice on studio visits, project proposals and introducing artwork to galleries and museums. Max participants: 15. Wed., May 15, 6-7 p.m. Cost: $15/ person; $13.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org.

BANGLES: Check out the jewelry and ﬁne metals studio by making your silver, copper or brass bangle. Open to all skill levels. All materials included. Thu., Jan. 31, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Cost: $37/ person; $33.30/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. CONTEMPORARY FIGURE PAINTING: Intermediate and advanced painters, revitalize your

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECTS: Do you shoot digital images and have a project idea to explore? ƒ is eight-week class will challenge you to edit and reﬁne your photographs to create the portfolio of work you envision. Organizing and editing techniques in Adobe Lightroom, printing on our Epson large format printers and more will be covered, tailored to individual student interests. Fri., Mar. 29May 17, 10 a.m.-noon. Cost: $240/ person; $216/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. DRAWING: Learn a variety of drawing techniques including basic perspective, compositional layout, and use of dramatic light and shadow. Students will work mostly from observation and will be encouraged to work with a variety of media, including pencil, pen and ink, ink wash, and charcoal in this small, group setting. All levels of experience welcome. Option 1: Tue., Jan 22Mar. 5, 9:30 a.m.-noon. (no class Feb. 26). Option 2: Wed., Jan. 23Feb. 27, 6-8:30 p.m. Cost: $255/ person; $229.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org.

ARTIST AT WORK: Artist Rebecca Weisman discusses her largest immersive installation to date, “Skin Ego,” which incorporates ﬁlm and performance to spin a mysterious narrative expressing the nature of our impermanence. Following her presentation, a moderated discussion between Weisman and the audience will explore professional development insights emerging from the project. Wed., Mar. 26, 6-7:30 p.m. Location: BCA Center, 135 Church St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. ARTIST BOOKS & ZINES: Have you wanted to make a book or zine but don’t know where to start? Bring your project ideas and create unique artist books and zines from start to ﬁnish in this in-depth, handson class. Sequencing choices, layout in Adobe InDesign, digital printing and hand-binding techniques will be covered. ƒ is class will also examine the conceptual ideas behind books as objects, considering design, content and what makes an interesting or compelling book. Mon., Apr. 8-May 13, 6-8 p.m. Cost: $180/person; $162/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org.

choices, metering techniques and more. Organizing and editing ﬁles in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop will also be covered, and students will leave with a selection of high-quality prints made on our archival Epson printer. Option 1: Jan. 25-Mar. 15, 10 a.m.-noon. Option 2: Mon., Jan. 28-Mar. 25, 6:30-8:30 p.m. (no class Feb. 18). Cost: $240/ person; $216/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org.

DARKROOM CRASH COURSE: Explore the traditional, analog, black-and-white darkroom! Learn how to properly expose blackand-white film, process film into negatives, and make silver gelatin prints. Students will leave with the skills and confidence to join the darkroom as a member. All 35mm film, paper and darkroom supplies included. Bring your manual 35mm or medium format film camera to the first class. Mon., Mar. 18-Apr. 8, 6-9 p.m. Cost: $180/person; $162/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY: Learn the basics of making a great photograph from initial exposure to editing and printing in this comprehensive eight-week class. ƒ is class will start with an overview of camera controls and functions, including aperture, shutter speed, ISO ratings, shooting in RAW, lens

DRAWING & PAINTING: ƒ is workshop is designed for the young artist who loves to draw and paint. Join us at BCA’s painting studio to experiment with different mediums and techniques, while learning how to make your drawings and paintings even better. Ages 6-11. Tue., Feb. 26, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Cost: $70/person; $63/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. EARRINGS: Check out the jewelry and fine metals studio by making your own earrings. Open to all skill levels. Class includes copper and brass, silver ear wire, and all basic tools. Silver can be purchased separately. Thu., Mar. 14, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Cost: $37/ person; $33.30/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. EXPERIMENTAL DRAWING: Expand on your drawing skills while discovering the possibilities of abstract drawing styles and compositions. A variety of drawing mediums, sizes and techniques will be explored, with plenty of flexibility to incorporate individual visions. Benefit from constructive feedback and gentle

coaching in this supportive environment. Some drawing experience recommended. Thu., Mar. 14-Apr. 18, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Cost: $270/person; $243/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. FAMILY ART SATURDAY: Get creative and make art together! Families are invited to drop in to the BCA Center every third Saturday of the month to create their own artworks inspired by our current exhibitions. Each Family Art Saturday offers a different art-making project that will ignite the imaginations of your family members! Sat., Jan. 19, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Location: BCA Center, 135 Church St., Burlington. Info: 8657166, burlingtoncityarts.org. FRIDAY ADULT WHEEL: Curious about the pottery wheel? Spend a Friday night with our pottery instructors at the BCA Clay Studio. A ticket includes a wheel-throwing demonstration at the beginning of class, access to a wheel, and time to try making a bowl or cup. ƒ ere is a $5 additional fee per clay piece ﬁred and glazed by the studio. Fri., Feb. 1-May 3, 7:309 p.m. Cost: $10/person; $9/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. FRIDAY FAMILY CLAY: Spend a Friday night with your family at the BCA Clay Studio. A ticket provides a wheel demonstration at the beginning of class, wheel access (for ages 6+), hand building for any age, unlimited clay and time to create. If you’d like your work to be ﬁred and glazed by the studio, there is a $5 fee per piece. Registration is required. Fri., Feb. 1-May 3, 5-7 p.m. Cost: $10/person; $9/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. GLAZE CHEMISTRY: For ceramics artists, glazing can be a daunting and mysterious process: part alchemy, part magic and part pure luck. During this two-hour lecture, we will pull back the curtain to reveal the science behind this mysterious process. Mon., Mar. 25, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Cost: $25/ person; $22.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. GRAPHIC NOVEL: Learn the art of visual storytelling through this immersive class in the comics discipline. Students will learn a broad range of techniques for communicating with both words and pictures, with an emphasis on using pen and ink. Some basic drawing experience is encouraged. Basic materials provided. Option 1: Mon., Jan. 28-Mar. 11, 6-8:30 p.m. Option 2: Wed., Mar. 20-Apr. 24, 6-8:30 p.m. Cost: $225/person; $202.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. HAND-PRINTED FABRIC WORKSHOP: Get to know our print studio at this one-night workshop and explore the possibilities of printmaking. Students will explore

CLASS PHOTOS + MORE INFO ONLINE SEVENDAYSVT.COM/CLASSES

simple and satisfying ways to add design to fabric goods to bring home. Class includes all materials; no experience necessary. Tue., Feb. 5, 6-9 p.m. Cost: $25/ person; $22.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org.

p.m. Option 2: Tue., Mar. 12-Apr. 16, 9:30 a.m.-noon. Option 3: Tue., Apr. 16-May 21, 5:30-8 p.m. Cost: $255/person; $229.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org.

HANDBUILDING: Learn the basics of handbuilding that will help you create functional and sculptural forms from clay. Class will include an introduction to our clay studio’s equipment and tools, along with helpful demonstrations and discussions. Working with the clay in different stages, from greenware to glaze, will be covered. No previous experience needed. Option 1: Fri., Feb. 15-Mar. 29, 9:30-11:30 a.m. (no class Mar. 1). Option 2: Fri., Apr. 12-May 17, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Cost: $204/ person; $183.60/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. HIGH SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHY: Tell your story with photographs in this eight-week session for high school students! Students will explore their individual ideas, go on group photo shoots, process and print digital photos and zines in our digital lab, experiment with ﬁlm photography in our darkroom, and participate in supportive discussions and critiques. All supplies and cameras provided. Scholarships available. Fri., Feb. 1-Mar. 29, 5-7:30 p.m. (no class Mar. 1). Cost: $240/ person; $216/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. HIGHLIGHT KIDS LANTERN ART ACTIVITY: We’ve partnered with Social Sentinel and the #asafervt campaign to make creative kits that offer students in second grade and older the opportunity to create lanterns for the Highlight Parade! Join the BCA Education team as they lead this make-and-take art party. Decorate your lantern with the ideas of community and acceptance, then head up to Church Street’s top block at 5:30 p.m. to march in the parade! Come join us at the BCA to make art for the parade! ° e lantern activity is free. Highlight is presented by Burlington Telecom & Lake Champlain Transportation Company. Highlight is Burlington’s new citywide New Year’s Eve celebration, coproduced by Burlington City Arts & Signal Kitchen. Mon., Dec. 31, 2-5 p.m. Location: BCA Center, 135 Church St., Burlington. Info: 8657166, burlingtoncityarts.org. JEWELRY: Learn the basics of creating metal jewelry. Techniques covered will include sawing, piercing, ﬁling, annealing, soldering, texturing, cold connections, ring sizing and more, so that students can create at least two completed pieces. ° e class includes some copper, brass and nickel for class projects; use of all basic tools; and studio access during the weeks of your class. Option 1: Tue., Jan. 22-Feb. 26, 5:30-8

discover how to layer images that create depth in your work. Students are encouraged to bring ideas and imagery they want to develop further. Tue., Mar. 12-Apr. 16, 9:30 a.m.-noon Cost: $225/ person; $202.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. MOVEMENT WORKSHOP: In this 90-minute workshop, develop nourishing connections with others while building upon speciﬁc methods used to generate movement in “Becoming Human,” an exhibit currently on view at the BCA Center. ° is workshop offers the opportunity for nondancers and trained dancers alike to explore creative movement in a safe, fun and professionally guided manner. Sat., Jan. 26, 1-2:30 p.m. Cost: $15/ person; $13.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Center, 135 Church St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org.

LIFE DRAWING: Spend the evening with other local artists drawing one of our experienced models. Please bring your drawing materials and paper. Purchase a ticket to hold your spot. Ticket purchases for this class are nonrefundable. Fri., Feb. 1-Apr. 19, 7:30-9 p.m. Cost: $10/person; $9/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. MINI WORLDS: Shrink down with us and create small, beautiful worlds. Campers will be encouraged to explore a variety of craft media to develop tiny, intricate terrariums, doll houses or fairy worlds. Ages 6-11. Thu., Feb. 28, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Cost: $70/person; $63/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 8657166, burlingtoncityarts.org. MIXED-LEVEL WHEEL THROWING: Mixed-Level Wheel supports students across a range of skill and experience levels that have experience throwing on the wheel. ° is eight-week course is rooted in fundamentals and encourages individual projects. Demonstrations and instruction will cover centering, throwing, trimming and glazing, as well as forms and techniques determined by students. Option 1: Wed., Jan. 23-Mar. 13, 1:30-4 p.m. Option 2: Wed., Apr. 3-May 22, 9:30 a.m.-noon. Option 3: Thu., Apr. 4-May 23, 6-8:30 p.m. Cost: $340/ person; $306/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. MONOPRINT: Hone your skills working with the press and experiment with a variety of materials to take your printmaking to the next level. Learn how to incorporate drypoint and collagraph techniques and

NATURAL PIGMENT WORKSHOP: Artist Elizabeth Bunsen will lead a workshop that explores the practice of using natural dyes to make fabric and paper creations. ° e session will incorporate several forms of natural materials, such as leaves, blossoms, rust and insects, demonstrating how they are used to create an array of colors. Thu., Apr. 11, 6-8 p.m. Cost: $25/person; $22.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Center, 135 Church St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. OIL PAINTING: Learn how to paint with nontoxic, water-soluble oils. With an emphasis on studio work, this class will begin with fun exercises. Using direct observational skills, we’ll work on still life and referencing photographs; we’ll explore the landscape. Discover a variety of painting techniques and learn how to apply composition, linear aspects, form and color theory to your work. Beginners are welcome. Tue., Jan. 22-Mar. 12, 6-8:30 p.m. Cost: $340/person; $306/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. PEN & INK: Learn the striking techniques of pen & ink. Students will discover how to use cross-hatching, stippling and ink washes to enhance their realistic or abstract drawings. Share progress and receive feedback in a supportive setting. No experience necessary. All basic supplies will be provided. Mon., Apr. 8-May 13, 6-8:30 p.m. Cost: $225/person; $202.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. PENDANTS: Check out the jewelry and ﬁne metals studio by making your own copper, brass or nickel pendant using basic cutting, stamping and sawing techniques. Open to all skill levels. All materials included. Thu., Apr. 11, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Cost: $37/ person; $33.30/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org.

PHOTOGRAPHING ARTWORK: Learn how to take professionalquality digital images of your work in this hands-on workshop in our lighting studio. Whether you’re applying to art school, submitting work for an exhibition or putting together a website, you’ll leave this workshop with techniques that will improve your images and enhance your presentations. Thu., Apr. 11, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Cost: $45/person; $40.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. POTTERY WHEEL: ° is day is all about learning the basics of the ever-popular pottery wheel. Students will have all day to get their hands into clay, spinning it into small bowls or cups to be ﬁred and glazed by the studio. All items will be dishwasher safe and lead free. Ages 6-11. Fri., Mar. 1, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Cost: $70/person; $63/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 8657166, burlingtoncityarts.org. POTTERY WHEEL: ° is day is all about learning the basics of the ever-popular pottery wheel. Students will have all day to get their hands on clay, spinning it into small bowls or cups to be ﬁred and glazed by the studio. All items will be dishwasher safe and lead free. Ages 6-11. Mon., Feb. 25, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Cost: $70/person; $63/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 8657166, burlingtoncityarts.org.

printing with linoleum, collagraph (a low-relief intaglio technique) and monoprinting. No previous experience needed. Option 1: Tue., Jan. 22-Feb. 26, 9:30 a.m.-noon. Option 2: Thu., Jan. 24-Mar. 7, 6-8:30 p.m. (no class Feb. 14). Cost: $255/person; $229.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. RINGS: Check out the jewelry and ﬁne metals studio by making your silver ring. Open to all skill levels. All materials included. Thu., Feb. 7, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Cost: $37/ person; $33.30/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. SCHOOL BREAK WORKSHOPS: Choose anywhere from one to ﬁve days of art workshops for your child during Winter School Break. All basic supplies are included. Students must bring their bag lunch, and snacks will be provided. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. SCREEN PRINT: Working in BCA’s professional print studio, students will learn the basics of screen printing to print images onto paper and fabric. Wed., Feb. 27, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Cost: $70/ person; $63/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org.

PRECIOUS METAL CLAY: Precious Metal Clay (PMC) is a composite of 90% ﬁne metals, 10% water and organic binder. When ﬁred, PMC burns out the binder leaving a solid brass, silver or gold piece. In this four-week course, a variety of techniques will be demonstrated showing the versatility of the material, and students will be able to create several small pieces of wearable art, such as beads, earrings and pendants. Option 1: Tue., Jan. 22-Feb. 12, 9:30 a.m.-noon. Option 2: Tue., Mar. 12-Apr. 2, 5:30-8 p.m. Cost: $190/person; $171/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. PRESENTATION & PERFORMANCE ROBOPOEMS: QUADRUPED@S : Alm@ Perez (Tina Escaja) demonstrates the features of her robots while exploring the evolution of poetry beyond the page. From the creation of a cyborg identity to projects that merge art and technology, the artist explores new ways of understanding and experiencing poetry in a new technological age. Supported in part by the UVM Humanities Center. Wed., Apr. 17, 6-7 p.m. Location: BCA Center, 135 Church St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. PRINTMAKING: ° is introductory class will show you a whole range of printing techniques that can be used on their own or in combination to create unique artwork. Over six weeks, you’ll be introduced to the studio’s equipment and materials and learn techniques such as block

photographic or borrowed imagery. Students will learn how to apply photo emulsion, how to use an exposure unit and how to print on a variety of surfaces. Students can bring their screens or rent one through the studio. No experience necessary. Option 1: Wed., Jan. 23-Mar. 13, 6-8:30 p.m. Option 2: Thu., Mar. 28-May 16, 6-8:30 p.m. Cost: $340/ person; $306/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. SOUNDCHECK: Join Slam Poet and Artistic Director Rajnii Eddins with Young Writers Project for a Writing Workshop and Open Mic at Burlington City Arts. It’s free! Open to all! To find out more about SoundCheck and other events at Young Writers Project, contact rajnii@youngwritersproject.org. Dec. 13 & Jan. 17.; writing workshop, 6 p.m.; open mic, 7 p.m. Location: BCA Center, 135 Church St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. STUDIO NIGHT FOR EDUCATORS: Spend an evening exploring the tools and equipment in BCA’s Print and Drawing & Painting studios with fellow teaching artists and K-12 educators. Participants will have the opportunity to express their own creativity, as well as discuss ways to bring lessons back to the classroom. Innovative reflection and assessment strategies will also be presented. Thu., Mar. 21, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Cost: $25/person; $22.50/ BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. SUNDAY FAMILY JEWELRY: Spend a morning with teaching artist Kate McKernan in BCA’s jewelry studio. Using our studio equipment, fine metals and beads, your family will create beautiful and wearable works of art. All supplies are provided; no experience needed. Youth must be accompanied by an adult. Additional tickets are required for adults who’d like to join the fun and create on their own. Sun., Feb. 10, 10 a.m.-noon Cost: $10/person; $9/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 8657166, burlingtoncityarts.org.

SCREEN PRINT WORKSHOP: Get to know our print studio at this one-night workshop and explore the possibilities of screen printing. Students will choose from a variety of prepped silkscreen designs to put on a poster or tote bag to bring home. Class includes all materials, no experience necessary. Tue., Mar. 26, 6-9 p.m. Cost: $25/person; $22.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org.

SUNDAY FAMILY PAINT: Spend a morning with teaching artist Kate McKernan in BCA’s painting and drawing studio. Using our paints, brushes, easels and more, your family will create beautiful works of art. All supplies are provided; no experience needed. Youth must be accompanied by an adult. Adults may assist their child(ren) free of charge. Additional tickets are required for adults who’d like to join the fun and paint on their own. Sun., Jan. 27, 10 a.m.-noon. Cost: $10/person; $9/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org.

SCREEN PRINTING: ° is introduction to screen printing will show you how to design and print T-shirts, posters, ﬁne art and more. Discover a variety of techniques for transferring and printBURLINGTON CITY ARTS ing images using hand-drawn, SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

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SUNDAY FAMILY PRINTMAKING: Spend a morning with teaching artist Kate McKernan in BCA’s print studio. Using our printing plates, inks and press, your family will create beautiful works of art. All supplies are provided; no experience needed. Youth must be accompanied by an adult. Adults may assist their child(ren) free of charge. Additional tickets are required for adults who’d like to join the fun and print on their own. Sun., Mar. 3, 10 a.m.-noon Cost: $10/person; $9/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. TEACHING STRATEGIES THAT WORK WITH ENGLISH LEARNERS, K-6: In this session, participants will engage in activities and discussion to better understand the new American experience, the challenges of adjusting to a new culture, and the process of acquiring a new language. Participants will learn practical strategies that will help them differentiate their music, drama, dance and visual arts lessons and make them more accessible to English Learners (ELs). Wed., Jan. 16, 6-8:30 p.m. Cost: $25/person; $22.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. THE ARTIST’S STORY: Learn tips for writing and presenting a successful artist talk from storyteller and educator, Recille Hamrell. Improve your public speaking and learn to craft an engaging story about how you began your work, your challenges and successes, and the purpose and unique value of what you create. Artists from all disciplines and levels are welcome. Wed., Feb. 13, 6-8:30 p.m. Cost: $25/person; $22.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. WATERCOLOR: Learn how to paint with watercolor. ˜ is class will focus on observational painting from still life, ﬁgure, landscape and photos. Students will paint on watercolor paper and will gain experience with composition, color theory, layering, light and shade. Class may move outdoors for plein air painting on nice days! No experience necessary. Thu., Mar. 28-May 2, 6-8:30 p.m. Cost: $225/person; $202.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. WHEEL THROWING: ˜ is class is an introduction to clay, pottery, and the ceramics studio. Students will work primarily on the potter’s wheel, learning basic throwing and forming techniques, while creating functional pieces such as mugs, cups and bowls. Students will also be guided through the various ﬁnishing techniques using the studio’s house slips and glazes. No previous experience needed. Five class schedules to choose from. Visit website for details. Cost: $340/ person; $306/BCA members.

Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 865-7166, burlingtoncityarts.org. WOODCUT: Discover the unique process of woodblock printing with local artist Ashley Stagner. Students will focus on fundamental relief printing techniques and will be able to transform their designs into unique prints. ˜ e class will then progress to more sophisticated processes, including multi-color printing and 2-3 color reduction block printing. Class cost includes all basic materials. Wed., Apr. 3-May 8, 6-8:30 p.m. Cost: $225/person; $202.50/BCA members. Location: BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. Info: 8657166, burlingtoncityarts.org.

craft

theshelburnecraftschool.org

985-3648

ALTERNATIVE FIRING IN CLAY: Ever wonder how to get a smoky earthen patina with ceramics? ˜ is intermediate/advanced-level course explores slow ﬁre alternative methods such as Raku, Obvara and Pit Firing. Students set independent project goals for exploring their own versions of these ancient practices and work with the instructor based on individual requests. Mon., 6-8 p.m., Jan. 7-Mar. 11. Cost: $360/ first bag of clay incl. Location: Shelburne Craft School, 64 Harbor Rd., Shelburne. Info: 985-3648, info@shelburnecraftschool.org, shelburnecraftschool.org. BASKET WEAVING: Join Alexa Rivera to learn the art of weaving a harvest basket with a ﬁnished leather strap that’s perfect for harvesting leafy greens in the garden, foraging in the woods, or bringing with you on a trip to the market or farm stand. All skill levels are welcome. Sat., 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Jan. 19. Cost: $95/ person; materials incl. Location: Shelburne Craft School, 64 Harbor Rd., Shelburne. Info: 985-3648, info@shelburnecraftschool.org, shelburnecraftschool.org. ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL: Learn how to make a unique book to house creative ideas, drawings, paintings, mixed media, illustrations and writing. ˜ is course will be a combination of simple bookmaking techniques as well as instruction in how to create a beautifully illustrated journal and other hybrid forms of text, image, narrative and design. Wed., 9:3011:30 a.m., Jan. 16-Feb. 20 Cost: $200/person; materials not incl. Location: Shelburne Craft School, 64 Harbor Rd., Shelburne. Info: 9853648, info@shelburnecraftschool. org, shelburnecraftschool.org.

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

INTRO TO DRAWING: Interested in learning how to draw but not sure where to start? Learn the fundamental foundations using graphite, charcoal and ink to explore line, tone, plane and perspective. Students will learn to become attuned to hand-eye coordination while learning how to represent objects accurately and proportionally. Mon., 10 a.m.-noon, Jan. 7-Feb. 18. Cost: $200/person; materials not incl. Location: Shelburne Craft School, 64 Harbor Rd., Shelburne. Info: 985-3648, info@shelburnecraftschool.org, shelburnecraftschool.org. INTRO TO OIL PAINTING: Are you interested in learning how to paint with oil but not sure where to start? Learn the fundamental techniques of oil painting. Each session will begin with a demonstration followed by time to practice. Students can expect to have a sample of paintings exhibiting a range of techniques. Tue., 9-11 a.m., Jan. 15-Feb. 12. Cost: $170/person; materials not incl. Location: Shelburne Craft School, 64 Harbor Rd., Shelburne. Info: 985-3648, info@shelburne craftschool.org, shelburnecraft school.org. INTRO TO STAINED GLASS: Interested in learning how to work with stained glass but not sure how to get started? ˜ is course introduces students to the Tiffany Copper Foil method of making a small stained glass window. Students will begin with a small practice window followed by a small, independently designed project. Sat. & Sun., Feb. 9 & 10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Cost: $350/ person; materials incl. Location: Shelburne Craft School, 64 Harbor Rd., Shelburne. Info: 985-3648, info@shelburnecraftschool.org, shelburnecraftschool.org.

through three phases: craft, create and critique. Students will build a small body of work, either fresh work generated during this course or recent work from students’ passion projects. Thu., 3-5 p.m., Jan. 17-Feb. 17. Cost: $100/person; materials not incl. Location: Shelburne Craft School, 64 Harbor Rd., Shelburne. Info: 985-3648, info@shelburnecraftschool.org, shelburnecraftschool.org. MIXED BEGINNER CLAY WHEEL: Are you new to wheel throwing or have you just learned how to throw on the wheel? Just right for beginners and for those starting their practice, this course offers time to practice and to explore techniques. Each session begins with a demonstration followed by one-on-one guidance. Fri., 10 a.m.noon, Jan. 11- Mar. 5. Cost: $360/ First bag of clay incl. Location: Shelburne Craft School, 64 Harbor Rd., Shelburne. Info: 985-3648, info@shelburnecraftschool.org, shelburnecraftschool.org. MIXED-LEVEL CLAY WHEEL: ˜ is course offers time to practice, improve your skills and explore more techniques for perfecting your wheel-throwing practice. Open to all skill levels. Imagine being in our light-ﬁlled clay studio with peers who share in the joy of wheel throwing. Wed., 6-8 p.m., Jan. 9-Mar. 6. Cost: $360/ first bag of clay incl. Location: Shelburne Craft School, 64 Harbor Rd., Shelburne. Info: 985-3648, info@shelburnecraftschool.org, shelburnecraftschool.org.

LYRICAL PROSE: ˜ is creative writing course will center on writing beautiful prose, either ﬁction or nonﬁction. ˜ e writer Frances Cannon will guide students

WATERCOLOR PRACTICE: Are you interested in playing with watercolor techniques to get cool effects and to learn more ways to have fun with the medium? Focusing on the beauty of the season, we will use still life as our inspiration to engage our senses with a versatile medium. Thu., 6-8 p.m., Jan. 17-Feb. 21. Cost: $200/person; materials not incl. Location: Shelburne Craft School, 64 Harbor Rd., Shelburne. Info: 985-3648, info@shelburne craftschool.org, shelburnecraft school.org. WOOD TURNING: Are you looking for an introduction to Woodturning? Join us in our warm, light-ﬁlled, woodshop to learn the beautiful art of woodturning. Over the course of three weeks, students will learn how to turn a chunk of tree trunk into a wooden bowl or vessel. Mon., 6-9 p.m., Jan. 7-28. Cost: $270/materials incl. Location: Shelburne Craft School, 64 Harbor Rd., Shelburne. Info: 985-3648, info@shelburnecraftschool.org, shelburnecraftschool.org.

dance DANCE STUDIO SALSALINA: Salsa classes: nightclub-style, group and private, four levels. Beginner walk-in classes, Wed., 6 p.m. $15/person for one-hour class. No dance experience, partner or preregistration required, just the desire to have fun! Drop in anytime and prepare for an enjoyable workout. Location: 266 Pine St., Burlington. Info: Victoria, 598-1077, info@ salsalina.com.

INTRO TO WOODWORKING: Interested in learning the basics of woodworking? Students learn the basics of using hand tools and shop machinery to design and make a beautiful one-of-a-kind shaker hall table. Each session includes one-onone support to help students gain conﬁdence with creative decision-making. Wed., 6-9 p.m., Jan. 9-Mar. 20. Cost: $575/person; materials incl. Location: Shelburne Craft School, 64 Harbor Rd., Shelburne. Info: 9853648, info@shelburnecraftschool. org, shelburnecraftschool.org. LIFE DRAWING: Drawing the human ﬁgure is one of the most universal themes in visual art. Figure drawing is a practice in observation, gesture, posture and nuance. Students are guided by an instructor to capture the essence of the human form while a live model poses in short and long poses. Mon., 6-8 p.m. Cost: $200/person; materials not incl. Location: Shelburne Craft School, 64 Harbor Rd, Shelburne. Info: 985-3648, info@shelburnecraftschool.org, shelburnecraftschool.org.

VISUAL/COMIC STORY TELLING: ˜ e popularity of comics has grown signiﬁcantly over the past two decades, from an already rich existing tradition. But what’s behind the panels of a comic? How are comics made? How do they work? Join professional graphic novelist Rachel Lindsay to explore the art of visual storytelling in comics. Tue., 5:30-7:30 p.m., Jan. 15-Feb. 19. Cost: $200/person; materials not incl. Location: Shelburne Craft School, 64 Harbor Rd., Shelburne. Info: 985-3648, info@shelburnecraftschool.org, shelburnecraftschool.org.

drumming THREE-LEGGED STOOL: Learn how to make a three-legged stool in this introductory woodworking course. Students learn the basics of woodworking using hand tools while learning how to design and piece together a functional object. Students looking for a more in-depth introduction to woodworking should check out Wood 101. Mon., 6-9 p.m Cost: $250/ person; materials incl. Location: Shelburne Craft School, 64 Harbor Rd., Shelburne. Info: 985-3648, info@shelburnecraftschool.org, shelburnecraftschool.org.

TAIKO AND DJEMBE CLASSES IN BURLINGTON!: Open classes in September. New drumming sessions begin the weeks of 10/8, 11/26, 1/7, 2/4, 3/11, 5/6. Intermediate Taiko: Mon., 6-8:20 p.m. Taiko for Adults: Tue., 5:30-6:20 p.m., & Wed., 6:30-7:50 p.m. Djembe for Adults: Wed., 5:30-6:20 p.m. Taiko for Kids and Parents: Tue., 4:30-5:20 p.m. World Drumming for Kids and Parents: Wed., 4:30-5:20 p.m. Drums provided. Conga classes, too! Visit schedule and register online. Location: Taiko Space, 208 Flynn Ave., Suite 3G, Burlington. Info: 9994255, burlingtontaiko.org.

family FREE MUSIC/MOVEMENT CLASSES: Family music classes for families with children aged 0 to 5. Come sing, dance and jam with the whole family. Green Mountain Music Together with teacher Alison leads you through a joyful and playful session preparing all young children for later music instruction. Bang drums, sing and circle dance. Fun! Dec. 4 & 14, 4 p.m. & 10:30 a.m. 45 min. class. Location: Honest Yoga Blue Mall, 150 Dorset St., #310, South Burlington. Info: Green Mountain Music Together, Alison Mott, 310-2230, greenmountainmusic@ gmail.com, greenmountainmusic together.com.

ﬁtness TRY THE Y!: Cardio and weight equipment. Spin, yoga, zumba and more group exercise classes. Lap pool, 88-degree Fahrenheit program pool; swim lessons and aquatic classes. All in a supportive community where everyone is welcome. Try us for a day for free! Location: Greater Burlington YMCA, 266 College St., Burlington. Info: 862-9622, gbymca.org.

ﬂynn arts

MUSIC TOGETHER DEMO CLASSES AT THE FLYNN: For caregivers and children aged 0-5: Try out a Music Together class for free! Music Together classes bring together a community of families to share songs, instrument play, rhythm chants and movement activities in a relaxed, non-performance-oriented setting. ˜ ese demo classes are the perfect opportunity to try out the class before committing to the full 10week session beginning January 14. Two demo classes avail.: Mon., Dec. 10, & Mon., Dec. 17, 10-10:45 a.m. Location: Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, 153 Main St., Burlington. Info: 652-4543, flynncenter.org.

language ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE WINTER SESSION: Our six-week session starts on January 7, and we are offering French classes for adults in Burlington, Colchester and Montpelier. We serve the entire range of students from the true beginners to those who are already comfortable conversing in French. Info: Micheline Tremblay, 881-8826, education@aflcr.org, aflcr.org. ANNOUNCING SPANISH CLASSES: Spanish classes start in January. Learn from a native speaker via small classes or personal instruction. You’ll always be participating and speaking. Lesson packages for travelers, lessons for young children; they love

CLASS PHOTOS + MORE INFO ONLINE SEVENDAYSVT.COM/CLASSES

it! English as Second Language instruction online. Our 13th year. See our website or contact us for details. Starts week of Jan. 7. Cost: $225/10 weekly classes of 90+ min. each. Location: Spanish in Waterbury Center, Waterbury Center. Info: 585-1025, spanish paravos@gmail.com, spanish waterburycenter.com.

martial arts VERMONT BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU: Brazilian jiujitsu is a martial arts combat style based entirely on leverage and technique. Brazilian jiujitsu self-defense curriculum is taught to Navy SEALs, CIA, FBI, military police and special forces. No training experience required. Easy-to-learn techniques that could save your life! Classes for men, women and children. Students will learn realistic bully-proofing and self-defense life skills to avoid them becoming victims and help them feel safe and secure. Our sole purpose is to help empower people by giving them realistic martial arts training practices they can carry with them throughout life. IBJJF and CBJJ certified black belt sixth-degree Instructor under Carlson Gracie Sr.: teaching in Vermont, born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. A five-time Brazilian National Champion; International World Masters

PILATES MATWORK!: Pilates matwork classes for all levels of ability from beginner to advanced, taught by Sharon Mcilwaine, certiﬁed pilates instructor, with many years of experience. All welcome. First class is free! Tue., 5:30-6:30 p.m.; Sat., 8:45-9:45 a.m. (no class Dec. 25). Cost: $18/1-hour class. Location: Sacred Mountain Studio, 215 College St., 3rd FL, Burlington. Info: Burlington Acupuncture, Sharon McIlwaine, 522-3992, sharon@burlington acupuncture.com, pilatesmat workvermont.com.

Champion and IBJJF World Masters Champion. Accept no Iimitations! Location: Vermont Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, 55 Leroy Rd., Williston. Info: 598-2839, julio@bjjusa.com, vermontbjj.com.

meditation LEARN TO MEDITATE: Taught by qualiﬁed meditation instructors at the Burlington Shambhala Meditation Center: Wed., 6-7 p.m.; Sun., 9 a.m.-noon. Free and open to anyone. Free public meditation: weeknights, 6-7 p.m.; Tue. and ıu., noon-1 p.m.; Sun., 9 a.m.-noon. Classes and retreats also offered. See our website at burlington.shambhala.org. Location: Burlington Shambhala Center, 187 S. Winooski Ave., Burlington. Info: 658-6795.

metals FORMING AND FORGING: Learn the basics of forming and forging. You will learn about different types of hammers and what they are used for. We will go over how to forge rings and bracelets and try a technique called fold forming, which is used to easily make 3D objects from 2D metal. Wed., Dec. 5 & 12, 5:30-8 p.m. Location: Generator, 40 Sears Ln., Burlington. Info: 540-0761, generatorvt.com/classes.

pilates PILATES & PICS: INDULGE, EMPOWER & PLAY: Learn Pilates tricks and inversions on the trapeze table, ladder barrel, chair, Reformer and mat with All Wellness staff, and strike a pose for the camera with Katie, from Katie Figura photography. Each individual will receive beautiful professional photos of themselves doing Pilates. No experience required. Anyone without signiﬁcant injuries are welcome. Dec. 16, 10:15 a.m.-noon. Cost: $75. Location: All Wellness, 128 Lakeside Ave., Burlington. Info: 863-9900, allwellnessvt.com/ workshops.

PILATES WORKSHOP WITH ANULA MAIBERG: Anula Maiberg, co-owner of Sixth Street Pilates, was born in Israel and moved to NYC in 2001. Join us for a six-hour workshop/movement experience with Anula. Topics will include: Where Should I Be Feeling ıis and Building Community in Your Studio. Dec. 15, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Cost: $250. Location: All Wellness, 128 Lakeside Ave., Burlington. Info: 863-9900, allwellnessvt.com/workshops.

shamanism EXTRAORDINARY REALITIES: Learn how to journey into the spirit realms, where you will work with powerfully compassionate and intelligent helping spirits, teachers and healers. ıe session will include an introduction to the

practice of shamanic divination and an overview of shamanic healing. Meet your power animal in a core shamanic introduction. Sat., Jan. 19, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Cost: $120/9hour class. Location: Shaman’s Flame Workshop Center, 644 Log Town Rd., Woodbury. Info: Peter Clark, 456-8735, peterclark13@ gmail.com, shamansflame.com.

tai chi SNAKE-STYLE TAI CHI CHUAN: ıe Yang Snake Style is a dynamic tai chi method that mobilizes the spine while stretching and strengthening the core body muscles. Practicing this ancient martial art increases strength, ﬂexibility, vitality, peace of mind and martial skill. Beginner classes Sat. mornings & Wed. evenings. Call to view a class. Location: Bao Tak Fai Tai Chi Institute, 100 Church St., Burlington. Info: 3636890, snake-style.com.

yoga EVOLUTION YOGA: Practice yoga in a down-to-earth atmosphere with some of the most experienced teachers and therapeutic professionals in Burlington. Daily drop-in classes include $5 Community, Vinyasa, Kripalu, Yin, Meditation, Yoga Wall and Yoga ıerapeutics led b y physical therapists. Dive deeper into

your practice with Yoga for Life, a semester-based program of unlimited yoga, weekend workshops and mentorship. Transform your career with our Yoga Teacher Training rooted in anatomy and physiology and taught by a faculty of healthcare providers who integrate yoga into their practices. $15/class; $140/10-class card; $5-10/community class. Location: Evolution Yoga, 20 Kilburn St., Burlington. Info: 864-9642, evolutionvt.com. SANGHA STUDIO | NONPROFIT, DONATION-BASED YOGA: Sangha Studio builds an empowered community through the shared practice of yoga. Free yoga service initiatives and outreach programs are offered at 17 local organizations working with all ages. Join Sangha in both downtown Burlington and the Old North End for one of their roughly 60 weekly classes and workshops. Become a Sustaining Member for $60/ month and practice as often as you like! Daily. Location: Sangha Studio, 120 Pine St. and 237 North Winooski Ave., Burlington. Info: 448-4262, Info@sanghastudio.org.

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music farmers, baristas, cooks and graphic designers. All seemed equally at home in the space. According to patrons, that’s a sharp contrast from what existed there before. For years prior, a dive bar called Bethel Depot occupied the building. “It was dark and gloomy,” said East Bethel resident Kyle Miller, 28, of Bethel Depot, which closed in 2017. He and Elizabeth Morse, 22, sat playing a vigorous round of dominoes in the center of the bar. The two said they frequent Babes more than anywhere else.

Owen Daniel-McCarter schmoozing with patrons at Babes Bar in Bethel

WE KNEW THERE WAS A COMMUNITY HERE

THAT THE PREVIOUS BAR NEVER TAPPED INTO. O WEN D A N I EL - M C C A R T ER

DYLAN KELLEY

Where Everybody Knows Your Name Cheers to Babes Bar, Bethel’s new melting pot B Y J O RD AN A D AMS

“

h, my God, is that freaking Mario Kart 64?” I muttered upon entering Babes Bar in Bethel. A projector blasted the classic Nintendo video game’s opening menu on a giant screen in the back of the pub. Four controllers lay on the floor, awaiting challengers eager to enter a breakneck race around Wario Stadium. Directly adjacent was one of my favorite old-school arcade games: The Simpsons. I can’t tell you how much allowance money I spent in my youth attempting to rescue Maggie Simpson from the evil clutches of Mr. Burns.

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

“Is it my birthday?” I quipped. No, it wasn’t. It was, however, Jesse Plotsky’s — his 33rd, to be exact. He and his husband, Owen Daniel-McCarter, 36, opened Babes in June after uprooting their lives in Chicago. Itching for adventure and a less stressful way of life, the couple ended their 11-year stint in the Windy City in favor of the sleepy village, where Plotsky’s brother and sister-in-law also live. “We knew it was gonna be a complete 180,” Plotsky said. “But that was part of the draw.” In just under six months, the couple

has not only created a thriving business but reinvigorated a sense of community in the Upper Valley burg. Currently the only stand-alone bar in town, it offers a wide selection of reasonably priced libations, Chicago-style hot dogs, pool, board games, live music, film screenings and karaoke. Owing to a convivial atmosphere and welcoming spirit, Babes stands out as a true melting pot. On the night of my visit, twentysomethings mingled with septuagenarians, recent transplants with multigenerational Vermonters. Some were college professors or students, others were machinists,

“We knew the previous bar was notoriously a ‘guy’ bar … Women and queer people and people of color did not feel welcome,” said Daniel-McCarter. “We really wanted to send messages [that said], ‘This is a space where we are thinking about race [and] gender.’” Vermonters are notoriously wary of outsiders — especially those darn city slickers and flatlanders. But DanielMcCarter and Plotsky’s reception from locals has been anything but prickly. “I remember people saying they didn’t want to come because they thought it was gonna be a gay bar,” said Miller. “But that changed pretty fucking quick.” In addition to rumors that Babes would be an LGBTQ bar, word that the new venture would be a strip club made its way through the grapevine. But as DanielMcCarter pointed out, the term “babe” has risen in popularity as “a gender-neutral term of endearment” as opposed to a crass term for a particular type of woman. The word also refers to folk legend Paul Bunyan’s trusty blue ox Babe — a nod to Daniel-McCarter’s Wisconsin roots — as the sign hanging above the entrance makes clear. Nestled along Bethel’s quintessentially Vermont Main Street strip next to Cockadoodle Pizza Café, the bar occupies a former train depot — hence the previous bar’s name. With help from family and friends, the new owners renovated the space while WHERE EVERYBODY KNOWS YOUR NAME

» P.73

JORDAN ADAMS

GOT MUSIC NEWS? JORDAN@SEVENDAYSVT.COM Scottie Raymond at the AnteGallery

THU 12.6 FRI 12.7

S UNDbites

News and views on the local music scene B Y J O RDAN A D A MS

Upping the Ante

Burlington’s ANTHILL COLLECTIVE is constantly on the move promoting street art and hip-hop culture in Vermont. From making murals for A_Dog Day and the Above the Radar festival to the group’s monthly hip-hop showcase at the Monkey House, the collective always has something in the works. The latest is the AnteGallery, a one-stop shop for all things Anthill. “It’s gonna kind of be like our gallery,” says SCOTTIE RAYMOND, cofounder of Anthill Collective. He and cofounder BRIAN CLARK recently began setting up shop in Shelburne within a small block of businesses adjacent to the larger Shelburne Bay Plaza. The building also houses a newish yoga studio, Second Circle, and Sweet G Smoke Shop. The pint-size exhibition room and retail store is expected to open on Friday, December 7, with DJ KANGANADE on the decks and free beer. “When I was growing up and starting to get curious about graffiti and hiphop, there were really no influences in southern New Hampshire,” says Clark of his hometown region. With that in mind, the AnteGalley is meant not only as an art supply shop and gallery space, but also as an educational resource for Vermont’s next wave of spray-paint masters.

“If we can get the kids we already know are doing this work in the streets in our door, we can start to talk to them about the ethics, rules and possible evolution of [the art form],” says Raymond. As of right now, the shop will sell primarily paint, high-end acrylic markers, DVD copies of the 1983 graffiti doc Wild Style and local apparel, including flat-brimmed lids from Rail City Hat. Clark and Raymond have lofty goals for the space, which include live events and low-key gatherings. But right now, they’re focused on getting the petite space ready for this week’s soft opening. “It’s an opportunity for us to display our own work and to display the work of our friends,” says Raymond. “It just feels like a logical offshoot of our mural work, Above the Radar, Third Thursdays — all of the other things that we’re already doing to promote hip-hop culture and graffiti as a viable art form.”

Glad Rags Put on your finest formal duds, shine your shoes and pick up a corsage for an event dubbed Burlington Winter Ball. On Friday, local indie outfits J BENGOY, FULL WALRUS, GREASE FACE and LEAN TEE take over Club Metronome in style. In advance of the show, J Bengoy have shared a new demo track called

FRI 12.7 “Clara,” which features vocals from singer-songwriters FRANCESCA BLANCHARD and LAUREL (aka ALEXIS HUGHES). It’s the first new music the band has released since its debut LP, Dogwood Winter, dropped in April. Though the Ben-boys are known for playing “bummer rock,” I daresay none of their previous tracks has sounded as gloomy as this one. Like, gee whiz. Is everything OK, folks? Let me know if you all need a hug. I kid, I kid! If you want to hear the dirge-like tune, act fast, because the single — which heralds the group’s upcoming, as-yetuntitled sophomore LP — will be removed from Bandcamp after Friday’s show. So listen to it now while you still can!

BiteTorrent

Meadowlark Studios introduces a new series of live performances at its recording space in Williston this week. The first installment features blues trio DWIGHT & NICOLE on Sunday, December 9. Seating is limited, and the event is BYOB. Think of the series as Meadowlark’s answer to Sofar Sounds — which makes sense, given that the recording studio’s owner and producer, YASMIN TAYEBY, was the international popup concert’s liaison for its Burlington shows. Speaking of Meadowlark, turn to page 75 to check out the review of the studio’s star-studded holiday compilation album, A Vermont Christmas, which features Dwight & Nicole among several other local luminaries. If enough folks in the crowd are on the “Nice” list, perhaps they’ll play their contribution to the SOUNDBITES

» P.74

Midnight North Brook Jordan (of Twiddle) 104.7 The Point welcomes

Darlingside Henry Jamison

First Friday

SAT 12.8

104.7 The Point welcomes

SAT 12.8

Spectacular Spectacular

SAT 12.8

Joe Nice x Eliot Lipp

MON 12.10

Rubblebucket Joey Agresta, Toth

Rookie of the Year

Foreverinmotion, Skyward Story, The Victory Drive, Trevor Douglas

THU 12.13

Currents

FRI 12.14

The Ballroom Thieves

SAT 12.15

Limbs, Sentinels

Odetta Hartman

106.7 WIZN welcomes

Fully Completely Hip: Tragically Hip Tribute My Mother’s Moustache

SAT 12.15

Sleigh Belles

1.18 An Appreciation of JJ Cale 1.27 Shoreline Mafia 1.31 Space Jesus 2.10 Andy Shauf 1214 Williston Road, South Burlington 802-652-0777 @higherground @highergroundmusic SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

4V-HG120518.indd 1

71 12/4/18 1:04 PM

music

CLUB DATES NA: NOT AVAILABLE. AA: ALL AGES.

WED.5

burlington

JP’S PUB: Karaoke, 10 p.m., free. JUNIPER: ’ e Ray Vega Quartet (jazz), 8:30 p.m., free. LEUNIG’S BISTRO & CAFÉ: Queen City Hot Club (gypsy jazz), 7 p.m., free. LIGHT CLUB LAMP SHOP: Irish Sessions (traditional), 7 p.m., free. Seth Eames (blues), 9:30 p.m., free. MANHATTAN PIZZA & PUB: Open Mic with Andy Lugo, 9 p.m., free. NECTAR’S: G-Nome Project, Sead (live electronica), 9 p.m., free/$5. 18+. RADIO BEAN: Ensemble V (jazz), 7 p.m., free. Strangled Darlings (indie folk), 9 p.m., free. Princess Nostalgia, Wax On, the Greg Freeman Band (R&B, pop), 10:30 p.m., free. RED SQUARE: DJ KermiTT (eclectic), 8 p.m., free. DJ SVPPLY (hip-hop), 11 p.m., free.

Dog’s Life Comedian

DREW LYNCH broke out after landing second place

in the 10th season of NBC’s “American’s Got Talent.” Known for speaking with

upper valley

THE ENGINE ROOM: Tricia Auld (standup), 8 p.m., $10.

ON TAP BAR & GRILL: ’ e Resonators (rock), 5 p.m., free. Justin Panigutti Band (rock), 9 p.m., free.

northeast kingdom

STONE CORRAL BREWERY: Justin LaPoint (Americana), 8 p.m., free.

a pronounced stutter, the Los Angeles-based comic frequently uploads videos to

HIGHLAND LODGE: Trivia Night, 6:30 p.m., free.

his YouTube dog vlog, costarring his canine companion, Stella. Through hilarious,

PARKER PIE CO.: Michael Hahn (acoustic), 7:30 p.m., free.

real-life anecdotes, Lynch exposes the often

outside vermont

misunderstood world of living with

OLIVE RIDLEY’S: Karaoke with DJ Jon Berry & DJ Coco, 9 p.m., free.

a service animal. Simultaneously, Stella’s “thoughts” are displayed

FRI.7

as snarky subtitles, which often contradict and undermine her

burlington

master’s ongoing monologue. Lynch

performs

BLEU NORTHEAST SEAFOOD: Bob Gagnon (jazz), 8:30 p.m., free.

Thursday,

BURLINGTON ST. JOHN’S CLUB: Karaoke, 8:30 p.m., free.

December 6, through Saturday,

CLUB METRONOME: Burlington Winter Ball with J Bengoy, Full Walrus, Grease Face, LEAN TEE (indie), 9 p.m., $5.

December 8, at the Vermont Comedy Club in Burlington.

JP’S PUB: Karaoke, 10 p.m., free.

SIDEBAR: Hotel Karaoke, 9 p.m., free. VERMONT COMEDY CLUB: Open Mic, 7 p.m., free. Indie Rumble (improv), 8:30 p.m., $5.

LIGHT CLUB LAMP SHOP: Max García Conover (folk), 7:30 p.m., free. ’ e Western Den (indie folk), 9 p.m., $5. DJ Taka (eclectic vinyl), 11 p.m., $5.

chittenden county

MANHATTAN PIZZA & PUB: DJ WuChon (disco, funk), 10 p.m., free.

CITY SPORTS GRILLE: Interactive Video Trivia with Top Hat Entertainment, 7:30 p.m., free.

NECTAR’S: Seth Yacovone (solo acoustic blues), 7 p.m., free. Formula 5: A Tribute to H.O.R.D.E., Doctor Rick, the Melting Nomads (jam), 9 p.m., $5.

HIGHER GROUND SHOWCASE LOUNGE: Wizardfest (Harry Potter-themed dance party), 9 p.m., $15-30. MONKEY HOUSE: Skyzoo, London Wordswell, Mister Burns (hip-hop), 8 p.m., $12/15. THE OLD POST: Karaoke with D Jay Baron, 8 p.m., free.

barre/montpelier

THU.6-SAT.8 // DREW LYNCH [STANDUP]

CHARLIE-O’S WORLD FAMOUS: John Lackard Blues Jam, 6 p.m., free. SWEET MELISSA’S: D. Davis (acoustic), 5:30 p.m., donation.

stowe/smuggs

IDLETYME BREWING COMPANY: ’ e Idletyme Band (blues, rock), 8 p.m., free. MOOGS PLACE: Abby Sherman and Kelly Ravin (Americana), 7:30 p.m., free.

mad river valley/ waterbury

THU.6

burlington

CLUB METRONOME: Lawrence, the Huntertones, Aubrey Haddard (soul-pop), 8:30 p.m., $15/17. DRINK: Downstairs Comedy Open Mic, 8 p.m., free. FINNIGAN’S PUB: DJ Craig Mitchell (open format), 10 p.m., free.

ZENBARN: Wednesday Night Dead (Grateful Dead tribute), 7 p.m., free.

HALF LOUNGE: DJ SVPPLY & Bankz (hip-hop), 10 p.m., free.

middlebury area

LIGHT CLUB LAMP SHOP: Shane Hardiman Trio (jazz), 8:30 p.m., $5. Light Club Jazz Sessions and Showcase, 10:30 p.m., free.

CITY LIMITS NIGHT CLUB: Karaoke, 9 p.m., free.

JP’S PUB: Karaoke, 10 p.m., free.

northeast kingdom

NECTAR’S: Trivia Mania, 7 p.m., free. Gymshorts, Clever Girls, Father Figuer (indie), 9 p.m., $5/8. 18+.

outside vermont

RADIO BEAN: Paige ’ ibault (singer-songwriter), 7 p.m., free. ’ e Tribe of 2 (rock), 8:30 p.m., free. Sputoola (funk, rock), 10:30 p.m., free.

PARKER PIE CO.: Trivia Night, 7 p.m., free.

MONOPOLE: Open Mic with Lucid, 10 p.m., free. THE SKINNY PANCAKE (HANOVER): Video Game Night, 7 p.m., free.

RED SQUARE: ’ e Jeff Salisbury Band (blues), 7 p.m., free. D Jay

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

Baron (mashup, hip-hop), 11 p.m., free.

ON TAP BAR & GRILL: Nobby Reed Project (blues), 7 p.m., free.

RED SQUARE BLUE ROOM: DJ Cre8 (open format), 10 p.m., free.

barre/montpelier

SIDEBAR: VT Beats Showcase (hip-hop), 9 p.m., $3. VERMONT COMEDY CLUB: Drew Lynch (standup), 7 p.m., $20/25. Tinder Nightmares (improv), 9 p.m., free. Fanny Pack (improv), 10 p.m., $5.

chittenden county

BACKSTAGE PUB & RESTAURANT: Trivia, 8 p.m., free. HIGHER GROUND SHOWCASE LOUNGE: Midnight North, Brook Jordan (of Twiddle) (Americana), 8 p.m., $10/12. JERICHO CAFÉ & TAVERN: Irish Session, 7 p.m., free. MONKEY HOUSE: Funny Girl Comedy Night (1-Year Anniversary) (standup), 7:30 p.m., free. Suburban Samurai, Telegraph Hill, Phantom Suns, Days on End (punk), 9:30 p.m., $3/8. 18+. THE OLD POST: Salsa Night with DJ JP, 7 p.m., free. Jamie Lee ’ urston (country), 7:30 p.m., free.

BAGITOS BAGEL AND BURRITO CAFÉ: Colin McCaffrey and Friends (folk), 6 p.m., free. GUSTO’S: Jas & Scott Duo (acoustic), 5 p.m., free. Open Mic Night, 8 p.m., free. WHAMMY BAR: Open Mic, 7 p.m., free.

stowe/smuggs

MOOGS PLACE: Open Mic Night, 8:30 p.m., free. TAP 25: John Wilson (a cappella), 7 p.m., free.

mad river valley/ waterbury

LOCALFOLK SMOKEHOUSE: Open Mic with Alex Budney, 8:30 p.m., free.

middlebury area

CITY LIMITS NIGHT CLUB: James Towle (singer-songwriter), 8:30 p.m., free.

WATERWORKS FOOD + DRINK: Dakota (hip-hop), 9 p.m., free.

barre/montpelier

CHARLIE-O’S WORLD FAMOUS: John Smyth (singer-songwriter), 6 p.m., free. ’ e Starline Rhythm Boys (rockabilly), 9 p.m., free. GUSTO’S: Tim Brick (country), 5 p.m., free. High Def (rock covers), 9 p.m., $5. POSITIVE PIE (MONTPELIER): ’ e Renegade Groove (rock), 10 p.m., $5. SWEET MELISSA’S: Honky Tonk Happy Hour with Mark LeGrand, 5:30 p.m., free. WHAMMY BAR: Sara Grace and Andy Suits (singer-songwriter), 7 p.m., free.

stowe/smuggs

EL TORO: Rebecca Padula (bluegrass), 7 p.m., free. MOOGS PLACE: Gary Wade (singer-songwriter), 9 p.m., free. TAP 25: George Petit Trio (jazz), 7 p.m., free.

mad river valley/ waterbury HOSTEL TEVERE: Lowell ’ ompson (alt-country), 9:30 p.m., $5.

RADIO BEAN: Friday Morning Sing-Along with Linda Bassick & Friends (kids’ music), 11 a.m., free. ’ e Notables (jazz), 8:30 p.m., free. Copilot (rock, pop), 10 p.m., $5.

middlebury area

RED SQUARE: Django Soulo (singer-songwriter), 4 p.m., free. Super Stash Bros. (funk, rock), 7 p.m., free. DJ Craig Mitchell (open format), 11 p.m., $5.

PICKLE BARREL NIGHTCLUB: Hot Date (covers), 8 p.m., $10-20.

RED SQUARE BLUE ROOM: DJ KermiTT (eclectic), 10 p.m., $5. SIDEBAR: Haitian and Friends (hip-hop), 10 p.m., free. THE SKINNY PANCAKE (BURLINGTON): ’ e Devon McGarry Band (rock), 7 p.m., free. VERMONT COMEDY CLUB: Drew Lynch (standup), 7 & 9:30 p.m., $25/32.

chittenden county

BACKSTAGE PUB & RESTAURANT: Karaoke with Jenny Red, 9 p.m., free. THE DOUBLE E LOUNGE AT ESSEX CINEMAS & T-REX THEATER: Kind Bud’s Kind Dubs (acoustic), 6:45 p.m., free. HIGHER GROUND BALLROOM: Darlingside, Henry Jamison (indie folk), 8 p.m., $15/18. HIGHER GROUND SHOWCASE LOUNGE: First Friday (drag, eclectic), 8 p.m., $5/10. JERICHO CAFÉ & TAVERN: Red Hot Juba (blues, swing), 6 p.m., free. MONKEY HOUSE: Untapped: A Night of Burlesque and Drag, 9 p.m., $10. THE OLD POST: ’ e Jolly Roger Band (covers), 8 p.m., free.

CITY LIMITS NIGHT CLUB: DJ Amanda Rock (hits), 9 p.m., free.

rutland/killington

champlain islands/ northwest TWIGGS — AN AMERICAN GASTROPUB: Chris and Erica (rock, country), 7 p.m., free.

upper valley

THE ENGINE ROOM: Vital Communities presents the Conniption Fits (covers), 8 p.m., donation.

outside vermont

CASA CAPITANO: Ed Schenk (accordion), 6 p.m., free. MONOPOLE DOWNSTAIRS: Happy Hour Tunes & Trivia with Gary Peacock, 5 p.m., free.

SAT.8

burlington

ARTSRIOT: Merry Twistmas (holiday music), 5:30 & 9 p.m., $15. BLEU NORTHEAST SEAFOOD: George Petit (jazz), 8:30 p.m., free. CLUB METRONOME: Lady Moon & the Eclipse, Ava Luna, Julia Caesar (R&B, Afrobeat), 10 p.m., $5.

SAT.8

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DYLAN KELLEY

WE KNEW IT WAS GONNA BE A COMPLETE 180.

THAT WAS PART OF THE DRAW.

J E S S E P L O TS K Y

Where Everybody Knows Your Name « P.70 retaining much of the historic two-story building’s charm. Exposed brick, original wainscoting and hardwood floors bolster the spot’s winsome vibe. Funky, eclectic furniture and art adorn the spacious, softly lit ground floor, where a crowd of about 30 people was gathered. Across the room from the bar, which occupies the entire north wall, a couple played a lazy game of pool. Smidge, the owners’ black lap dog, scurried around between people’s legs looking for fallen foodstuffs. The upper level is like a library study room crossed with a basement chill zone with old-fashioned school desks and sturdy tables and chairs scattered around. On this particular night, Wayne’s World played on a small TV opposite a comfy leather couch. One customer told me that she brings her own chair to the bar’s regular movie nights. It recently screened cult classics The Goonies, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Planes, Trains and Automobiles. As the party downstairs got into full swing, Daniel-McCarter tended bar, allowing his partner to mix and mingle with their guests. As I joined the throng to chat up some locals, I kept hearing similar words used to describe the bar: inclusivity, openness, accepting, welcoming, friendly. I asked people where they would have been on a typical night before Babes opened up. Some mentioned Crossroads Bar and Grill in South Royalton, but otherwise, nearly everyone said they would have been hanging out — and drinking — at home. “This is a big deal here,” said Bethel resident Beth Umba, 56. She and her husband, Willy Walker, 52, have lived in Bethel for 25 years. Umba says the ease of being able to walk to a watering hole makes her feel like she’s permanently on vacation. “This is the spot,” she said. “Not just for Bethel,” Walker

interjected. “People come from Randolph, Royalton [and] Lebanon [N.H.].” Some of the old crowd still comes, too. “They have stuff going on all the time, [and] there’s always a smile,” said Andrea Farnsworth, 71, a former Bethel Depot regular. “The clientele here has totally changed. There’s a few of the old ones, but 99 percent of the people I don’t even know. So, [I’m] meeting new friends and getting to know them.” “We knew there was a community here that the previous bar never tapped into,” said Daniel-McCarter. “They’re interested in variety and options and trying new things.” Once I’d done my fair share of hobnobbing, I indulged in some video games. As much as they entice me with their flashy visuals and open-world formats, modern titles don’t excite me nearly as much as retro ones do. After whooping a friend’s ass at Mario Kart, I played The Simpsons until my thumbs ached. I felt unmistakably like myself. Afterward, I watched some local twentysomethings play a convoluted card game they called Hell, in which each player uses his or her own full deck of cards. Some folks and I talked about our favorite songs to sing at karaoke. I petted the dog. I was in heaven, and I was completely sober the whole time. Before heading back to Burlington, someone turned the tables on me. “If you could use one word to describe Babes Bar, what would it be?” asked Dillion Bachand. “Community,” I said. He responded immediately: “I would’ve said ‘home.’”

When it comes to crafting real taste in our blends, two ingredients are all we’ve ever needed. Tobacco Ingredients: Tobacco & Water

Use your smartphone to request paperless gift certificates at AmericanSpirit.com*

Contact: jordan@sevendaysvt.com

INFO Babes Bar, 221 Main St., Bethel, 234-1144, babesbar.com. Untitled-6 1

Seven Days 12-05-18 M18NA663 RFTE Projects.indd 1

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

12/3/18 8:45 AM

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music SAT.8

CLUB DATES NA: NOT AVAILABLE. AA: ALL AGES.

House Party The brother-sister band is a

« P.72

JP’S PUB: Karaoke, 10 p.m., free.

THU.6 // LAWRENCE [SOUL-POP]

time-honored tradition in popular music. Aside from the

LIGHT CLUB LAMP SHOP: REDadmiral (rock, Americana), 7 p.m., free. Katie Matzell (soul, pop), 9 p.m., $5. DJ Taka (eclectic vinyl), 11 p.m., $5.

magic of family members blending their voices in harmony, shared life experiences add richness to sibling duos such as soul-pop outfit

NECTAR’S: Sean & Gerry (acoustic rock), 7 p.m., free. Burning Monk: A Tribute to Rage Against the Machine, Surf Sabbath, 9 p.m., $7.

modern adulthood. At once classically informed and ultracontemporary, the duo’s tunes repackage ’70s soul stylings for the electronically inclined modern set. The pair’s work recalls legendary artists from Al Green to Mayer Hawthorne to Erykah Badu. Catch Lawrence on Thursday, December 6,

RED SQUARE: Left Eye Jump (blues), 3 p.m., free. Lilla D’Mone (soul), 7 p.m., free. Mashtodon (open format), 11 p.m., $5.

at Club Metronome in Burlington. HUNTERTONES and AUBREY HADDARD add support.

RED SQUARE BLUE ROOM: DJ Raul (salsa, reggaeton), 6 p.m., free. DJ ATAK (open format), 11 p.m., $5.

THE SKINNY PANCAKE (BURLINGTON): Big Night (Cajun, Western swing), 8 p.m., free. SMITTY’S PUB: Jacob Green (rock, blues), 8 p.m., free. VERMONT COMEDY CLUB: Drew Lynch (standup), 7 & 9:30 p.m., $25/32.

chittenden county

GOOD TIMES CAFÉ: Stephen Bennett (acoustic), 8:30 p.m., $20. HIGHER GROUND BALLROOM: Spectacular Spectacular (variety), 12:30 p.m., $7/10. Rubblebucket, Joey Agresta (indie), 8:30 p.m., $20/25.

middlebury area HIGHER GROUND SHOWCASE LOUNGE: Joe Nice and Eliot Lipp (EDM), 8:30 p.m., $12/15. JERICHO CAFÉ & TAVERN: — e Jeff Salisbury Band (blues), 6 p.m., free. MONKEY HOUSE: A Box of Stars (folk, ambient), 9 p.m., free. THE OLD POST: Saturday Night Mega Mix featuring DJ Colby Stiltz (open format), 9 p.m., free. ON TAP BAR & GRILL: Mackenzie & Missisquoi (blues), 5 p.m., free. B-Town (rock covers), 9 p.m., free. PARK PLACE TAVERN: Karaoke, 9:30 p.m., free.

barre/montpelier

BAGITOS BAGEL AND BURRITO CAFÉ: Irish Session, 2 p.m., donation. Val Davis (singer-songwriter), 6 p.m., free. BUCH SPIELER RECORDS: Community DJ Series (vinyl DJs), 3 p.m., free. CHARLIE-O’S WORLD FAMOUS: Lake Superior, Tin Talisman (rock), 9 p.m., free. GUSTO’S: DJ LaFountaine (hits), 9:30 p.m., free. WHAMMY BAR: Bob Hannan and Friends (folk), 7 p.m., free.

STONE CORRAL BREWERY: Nina’s Brew (blues, roots), 8 p.m., free.

UNDbites

C O NT I NU E D F RO M PA G E 7 1

comp: a killer cover of STEVIE WONDER’s “Someday at Christmas.” Burlington expats ALPENGLOW return to the Queen City on Thursday, December 6, at the Hive Collective. Given that it’s been almost three years since the New 74

stowe/smuggs

EL TORO: Justin LaPoint (Americana), 7 p.m., free. MOOGS PLACE: Nobby Reed Project (blues), 9 p.m., free. TAP 25: John Lackard Blues Duo, 7 p.m., free. TRES AMIGOS & RUSTY NAIL STAGE: Dead Sessions (Grateful Dead tribute), 9 p.m., $6/10.

mad river valley/ waterbury

ZENBARN: Share the Light: A Hanukkah Party featuring Klezwoods (klezmer), 5:30 p.m., $45.

CITY LIMITS NIGHT CLUB: DJ Earl (open format), 9 p.m., free.

rutland/killington

PICKLE BARREL NIGHTCLUB: Hot Date (covers), 8 p.m., $10-20.

champlain islands/ northwest

TWIGGS — AN AMERICAN GASTROPUB: Java Sparrow (rock, blues), 7 p.m., free.

outside vermont

OLIVE RIDLEY’S: Hammer Down (rock), 9:30 p.m., free.

Familiarize yourself with their latest full-length, Acceptionalism, which came out in April. And rounding out the bill is formerly local — and now local again — lo-fi rock outfit HELLO SHARK. The mastermind behind the project, LINC HALLORAN, just relocated back to the area after a five-year stint in Philadelphia.

Alpenglow

Their latest LP, Living Room,

chronicles Clyde and Gracie Lawrence’s shared journey into

RADIO BEAN: Pam & Dan (folk), 7 p.m., free. — e Buck Hollers (bluegrass), 8:30 p.m., free. — e Dead Shakers, Overhead Sam, Kingﬁsher (pysch, experimental), 10 p.m., $5.

SIDEBAR: Ian Steinberg (folk), 7 p.m., free. Dakota (hip-hop), 10 p.m., free.

LAWRENCE.

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

York City-based group’s last release, Callisto, we can expect to hear some new material. They said as much on Facebook, teasing an upcoming show at Brooklyn’s Union Pool. Joining Alpenglow are local slack-tastic four-piece PAPER CASTLES.

Cinema Casualties strikes again! The recurring film event takes over Burlington’s ArtsRiot on Wednesday, December 12. Known for screening horror flicks full of schlock and “Aw, shit, don’t go in there,” the series continues with a heartwarming holiday disaster-piece, Silent Night, Deadly Night. I doubt I need to explain the plot. Just think Santa Claus plus slasher flick. It was on Time’s 2008 list of top-10 worst Christmas movies. RICHARD CORLISS wrote of the film, “We’re not knocking the transformation of a hallowed holiday figure into a homicidal maniac — that’s just smart exploitation filmmaking.” He wrote some less-than-flattering things, as well. Google it if you must.

SUN.9

burlington

CLUB METRONOME: Sunday Night Mass: Phatrix, DJ Disco Phantom, Crwd_Ctrl (house), 9 p.m., $10. LIGHT CLUB LAMP SHOP: GoldenOak (soul, folk), 8:30 p.m., free. NECTAR’S: Mi Yard Reggae Night with DJs Big Dog and Jahson, 9 p.m., free. RADIO BEAN: Maple Street Six (jazz), 1 p.m., free. Old Sky and Friends (Americana), 6 p.m., free. Danny & the Parts (Americana), 8:30 p.m., free. Bira (pop-funk, soul-punk), 10:30 p.m., free.

SUN.9

» P.76

Listening In If I were a superhero, my superpower would be the ability to get songs stuck in other people’s heads. Here are ﬁve songs that have been stuck in my head this week. May they also get stuck in yours. Follow sevendaysvt on Spotify for weekly playlists with tunes by artists featured in the music section. SKIN TOWN, “Iceplant” MARK RONSON, “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart (featuring Miley Cyrus)” SISSY WISH, “Milk” WILLVERINE, “Oh Beauty” KEEPER, “Dock”

ARTS NEWS + VIEWS For up-to-the-minute news about the local music scene, read the Live Culture blog: sevendaysvt.com/liveculture.

GOT MUSIC NEWS? JORDAN@SEVENDAYSVT.COM

5 NIGHTS

REVIEW this Various Artists, Meadowlark Studios Presents: A Vermont Christmas (SELF-RELEASED, CD, DIGITAL)

Everyone wants the big, glitzy present at Christmas. But the best Christmas presents are the ones you didn’t ask for or even know you wanted. Like, for example, the Whirley Pop stove-top popcorn maker Santa gave me more than two decades ago that I still use. Every time I pop a batch, it’s like my own little buttery Christmas miracle. In a way, Christmas music is similar. Sure, you can fire up the classics by Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, et al. But sometimes the real treasures are the hidden gems, the new songs or the new versions of old standbys that you didn’t know you needed but that you’ll turn to year after year. While not every track quite hits home for the holidays, the new compilation from Williston’s Meadowlark

COMEDY

A WEEK Studios, A Vermont Christmas, offers several such unexpected Christmas treats that could well become beloved local favorites. The record opens with Josh Panda’s take on “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).” As ever, the vocal dynamo is his typical showstopping self. But whether you find his version naughty or nice may depend on how you feel about, of all things, Steely Dan. Inexplicably, Panda replaces the original’s classic sax solo with the instrumental bridge from “Reelin’ in the Years.” The DuPont Brothers’ “Silent Night” is next. Over lilting, slack-key-like acoustic guitar, the duo dovetails angelic harmonies that recall another fraternal group: the Mills Brothers. It’s a placid, gorgeous rendition. Kat Wright and Brett Hughes, who are something like Burlington’s twangy answer to Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan around the holidays, follow with a high, lonesome version of “Blue Christmas,” complete with some nifty whistling in place of the song’s signature “oohs.”

“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” by Reid — aka Reid Parsons — is the surprise hit of the record. Using just fingerpicked acoustic guitar and voice, the singer quietly imbues the Christmas standard with palpable longing and sweetness. Following Dwight & Nicole’s powerful rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Someday at Christmas,” Cricket Blue deliver a stirring take on “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” Laced with icily beautiful, dissonant harmonies, the local indiefolk duo’s version is a spiritual cousin to that of Sufjan Stevens from his Songs for Christmas. The comp’s penultimate cut, “The Christmas Song” by Meadowlark Studios owner Yasmin Tayeby, is another quiet gem. Built around slinky jazz guitar, trumpet and voice, the cool, lounge-y track could almost pass as a lost Chet Baker outtake. The tune’s inviting calm is somewhat broken by the bouncy rendition of “Joy to the World” that closes the album by the University of Vermont vocal group the Hit Paws. But, hey, what’s Christmas without the occasional a cappella carol? Meadowlark Studios Presents: A Vermont Christmas is available at CD Baby.

SUN 9

TO BENEFIT THE LUND CENTER

HOLIDAYGASM

PARTY SUN 16

, IT S A WONDERFUL

ROAST THU 20

DAN BOLLES

A VERY UNMENTIONABLES

Phantom Suns, Caldera (SELF-RELEASED, DIGITAL DOWNLOAD)

Are the ’90s back? In Burlington, at least, it seems the halcyon days of big, distorted guitars, angsty lyrics and pounding drums have indeed returned. Between the pop-punk love letter that was Preece’s Bad Choices Make Good Stories and the new Phantom Suns record, Caldera, you’d forgive a guy for thinking Bill Clinton is still getting oral in the White House and rock stars are still writing about heroin. Or, you know, that there are such things as rock stars… Whether you view the ’90s revival as a legitimate return to beloved forms or just a blip of influences resurfacing, there is no dismissing Caldera as anything other than authentic and well wrought. Phantom Suns’ first full-length effort follows 2014’s excellent Parhelia EP and expands on the band’s promise. It also showcases how far bassist and producer Ryan Cohen and his Robot Dog Studio have come.

Cohen pulls multiple shifts in playing, recording, mixing and mastering an album with a wonderful trait achieved only by putting in the elbow grease: tonal fidelity. The record holds together as one solid piece of work, from the ferocious stomp of opener “Forget” to the atmospheric power of closing cut “Olympus Mons.” The art of making an LP that feels like a cohesive artistic statement should not be overlooked in 2018. Seth Gundersen, of beloved local rockers Villanelles, handles vocals with a suitable bite — though occasionally his snarling melodies and ambivalent lyrics stick to the grunge playbook a little too closely. “I tried to smother you / And I tried chemicals / You foiled all of my attempts / You just keep sprouting up / You return even though I dug you up right by the roots,” Gundersen sings on “Knotweed,” a nice hit of stoner rock. Chris Mathieu’s drum work is propulsive, and Cohen mixes it just right. As much as there is to love about ’90s rock, the reverb on the drums on

GET YOUR MUSIC REVIEWED:

a lot of those classic albums — most egregiously Pearl Jam’s Ten — does not age well. Both Mathieu’s kit and Gundersen’s guitars are right where they should be in the mix. The trio sounds properly giant, capable of muscular dynamics and sonic bombast. “Trial by Stone” is a clear standout, a mammoth blast of rock and roll that just so happens to be about The Dark Crystal, the gorgeously twisted 1982 Jim Henson epic that gave so many kids nightmares. Who would have guessed such a subject would fit so-called “alternative” music so well? As Gundersen howls about dying worlds and dying races, what could have been an eggheaded idea is pulled off expertly. You start hoping the band adapts the cult classic Legend for its next LP. Caldera showcases a band embracing its sound with laser-like focus. With a foot on the distortion pedal and a head in the stars, Phantom Suns know the aesthetic they want and achieve it with aplomb. Caldera is available at phantomsuns. bandcamp.com. Phantom Suns play this Thursday, December 6, at the Monkey House in Winooski. CHRIS FARNSWORTH

ARE YOU A VT ARTIST OR BAND? SEND US YOUR MUSIC! DIGITAL: MUSIC@SEVENDAYSVT.COM; SNAIL MAIL: MUSIC C/O SEVEN DAYS 255 S. CHAMPLAIN ST., SUITE 5, BURLINGTON, VT 05401

CHRISTMAS FRI 21 | SAT 22

THE EL-SALOMONS' NON-DENOMINATIONAL

HOLIDAY COMEDY EXTRAVAGANZA! FRI 28 | SAT 29 | MON 31

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RUBEN JAMES: Karaoke, 10 p.m., free. THE SKINNY PANCAKE (BURLINGTON): Bluegrass Brunch, noon, free. VERMONT COMEDY CLUB: Holidaygasm Comedian Party (standup, improv), 7 p.m., free.

chittenden county

THE DOUBLE E LOUNGE AT ESSEX CINEMAS & T-REX THEATER: Christmas at the Silent Movies with Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra, 7 p.m., $15. MISERY LOVES CO.: Disco Brunch with DJ Craig Mitchell, 11 a.m., free. MONKEY HOUSE: Priests, Empath, DJ Disco Phantom (rock), 8:30 p.m., $8/10.

barre/montpelier

BAGITOS BAGEL AND BURRITO CAFÉ: Southern Old Time Music Jam (traditional), 10 a.m., free. SWEET MELISSA’S: Live Band Karaoke, 8 p.m., donation.

MON.10 burlington

LIGHT CLUB LAMP SHOP: Lamp Shop Lit Club (open reading), 8 p.m., free. Tom Templer (singersongwriter), 9:30 p.m., free. MANHATTAN PIZZA & PUB: Karaoke, 9:30 p.m., free. NECTAR’S: Game Night, 7 p.m., free. RADIO BEAN: Art Herttua and Ray Caroll (jazz), 6:30 p.m., free. Eva Rawlings and Tony Gagnon (singer-songwriter), 8:30 p.m., free. SIDEBAR: Open Mic, 7 p.m., free. Family Night (open jam), 9 p.m., free. THE SKINNY PANCAKE (BURLINGTON): Comedy & Crêpes (standup), 7 p.m., free.

FRI.7 // DARLINGSIDE [INDIE FOLK]

chittenden county

Lobsters (surf), 8:30 p.m., free/$5. 18+.

HIGHER GROUND SHOWCASE LOUNGE: Rookie of the Year, Foreverinmotion, Skyward Story, the Victory Drive, Trevor Doughlas (indie rock), 7:30 p.m., $12/15.

RADIO BEAN: Sibling Revival (folk, jazz), 7 p.m., free. Ryan Fauber (singer-songwriter), 8:30 p.m., free. Friends Only (pop-punk), 10:30 p.m., free. RED SQUARE: DJ KermiTT (eclectic), 8 p.m., free.

MONKEY HOUSE: Erin CasselsBrown (indie folk), 6 p.m., free. Motown Mondays (Motown DJs), 8 p.m., free.

SIDEBAR: Hotel Karaoke, 9 p.m., free. VERMONT COMEDY CLUB: Open Mic, 7 p.m., free. Standup Class Show, 8:30 p.m., free.

barre/montpelier

CHARLIE-O’S WORLD FAMOUS: Sex Trivia, 7:30 p.m., free.

stowe/smuggs

MOOGS PLACE: Seth Yacovone (blues), 7 p.m., free.

mad river valley/ waterbury

ZENBARN: Scars on 45 (rock), 8 p.m., $10/15.

TUE.11

burlington

ARTSRIOT: ‚e Moth: Beginnings (storytelling), 7:30 p.m., $10. DRINK: Comedy Open Mic, 8:30 p.m., free. FOAM BREWERS: Local Dork (eclectic vinyl), 6 p.m., free. LEUNIG’S BISTRO & CAFÉ: Jake Whitesell Trio (jazz), 7 p.m., free. LIGHT CLUB LAMP SHOP: Pullin’ Yo Chain Comedy Showcase, 7:30 p.m., free. DJ Djoeh (eclectic), 9:30 p.m., free. LINCOLNS: ‚e Laugh Shack (standup), 8:30 p.m., $5. MANHATTAN PIZZA & PUB: Hannah Fair (singer-songwriter), 9:30 p.m., free. NECTAR’S: Tuesday Bluesday Blues Jam with Collin Craig and Friends, 6 p.m., free. Dead Set (Grateful Dead tribute), 9 p.m., $5. RADIO BEAN: Dan Bishop Trio (jazz), 6:30 p.m., free. Kirsti Blow (singer-songwriter), 8:30 p.m., free. Honky Tonk Tuesday with Ponyhustle, 10 p.m., $5. Honeytwist (rock), 10:30 p.m., free.

chittenden county

Strange Trip Much like Bostonian colleagues Tall Heights, indie-folk quartet

DARLINGSIDE of Cambridge, Mass., meld sleek, urban edge with bucolic, traditional influences.

THE OLD POST: Karaoke with D Jay Baron, 8 p.m., free.

of guitar, mandolin, banjo, violin, cello, guitar and bass grounds the LP’s existential themes.

barre/montpelier

Emotional resonance and ponderous lyrics combine to create a flawless fusion of head and heart. Largely known for its vocal prowess, the group’s exquisite multipart harmonies ebb and flow with ease. Darlingside perform on Friday, December 7, at the Higher Ground Ballroom in South Burlington. Local singer-songwriter HENRY JAMISON opens. RED SQUARE: DJ A-RA$ (open format), 11 p.m., free. SIDEBAR: Seth Yacovone (blues), 7 p.m., free. Ron Stoppable (hip-hop), 10 p.m., free. THE SKINNY PANCAKE (BURLINGTON): Ukulele Kids with Joe Baird (sing-along), 9:30 a.m., free.

chittenden county

ON TAP BAR & GRILL: Trivia with Top Hat Entertainment, 7 p.m., free. WATERWORKS FOOD + DRINK: Trivia Night, 7 p.m., free.

barre/montpelier

CHARLIE-O’S WORLD FAMOUS: Karaoke with DJ Vociferous, 9:30 p.m., free.

stowe/smuggs

MOOGS PLACE: Django Soulo (singer-songwriter), 7:30 p.m., free.

middlebury area

HATCH 31: Erin Cassels-Brown (indie folk), 6 p.m., free. Kelly Ravin and Friends (country), 7 p.m., free.

northeast kingdom

HARDWICK STREET CAFÉ AT THE HIGHLAND CENTER FOR THE ARTS: Trivia Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m., free.

outside vermont

THE SKINNY PANCAKE (HANOVER): Trivia Night, 7 p.m., free.

SWEET MELISSA’S: Blue Fox’s Open Mic, 7 p.m., free.

Dobra'

Tea

JERICHO CAFÉ & TAVERN: Bluegrass Session, 7 p.m., free.

High-minded metaphysical concepts permeate their latest album, Extralife. An airy blend

Celebrating

years of

CITY SPORTS GRILLE: Interactive Video Trivia with Top Hat Entertainment, 7:30 p.m., free.

WED.12 burlington

ARTSRIOT: Cinema Casualties presents ‘Silent Night, Deadly Night’ featuring Zentauri (metal live score), 8:30 p.m., free. DELI 126: Bluegrass Jam, 8 p.m., free. JP’S PUB: Karaoke, 10 p.m., free.

SWEET MELISSA’S: D. Davis (acoustic), 5:30 p.m., donation.

stowe/smuggs

IDLETYME BREWING COMPANY: ‚e Idlet yme Band (blues, rock), 8 p.m., free. MOOGS PLACE: Trivia Night, 6:30 p.m., free. Abby Sherman (Americana), 8 p.m., free.

mad river valley/ waterbury

ZENBARN: Wednesday Night Dead (Grateful Dead tribute), 7 p.m., free.

middlebury area

JUNIPER: ‚e Blue Gardenias (jazz), 8:30 p.m., free.

CITY LIMITS NIGHT CLUB: Karaoke, 9 p.m., free.

LEUNIG’S BISTRO & CAFÉ: Paul Asbell Trio (jazz), 7 p.m., free.

northeast kingdom

LIGHT CLUB LAMP SHOP: Irish Sessions (traditional), 7 p.m., free. Seth Eames (blues), 9:30 p.m., free.

outside vermont

MANHATTAN PIZZA & PUB: Open Mic with Andy Lugo, 9 p.m., free. NECTAR’S: ‚e High Breaks, the Donner Beach Party, Potentially

PARKER PIE CO.: Trivia Night, 7 p.m., free.

MONOPOLE: Open Mic with Lucid, 10 p.m., free. THE SKINNY PANCAKE (HANOVER): Video Game Night, 7 p.m., free.

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SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

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CRAFT BEER

LOCAL FOOD

VERMONT SPIRITS

CELEBRATE THE SEASON!

William Scully, Magnolia Stem (Cross Section), 2018, microscopic composite photograph

discoverstjohnsbury.com

November 27-February 16 2018 Arts Connect at Catamount Arts

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Juried by Nick Capasso Director, Fitchburg Art Museum

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EVENTS SALE NOW! EVENTS ON SALE NOW ON AT SEVENDAYSTICKETS.COM Italian Cookies!

THU., DEC. 6 RICHMOND COMMUNITY KITCHEN

Ski Movie “ALL IN” and Dinner

SAT., DEC. 8 SLEEPY HOLLOW INN SKI & BIKE CENTER, HUNTINGTON

A Concert for Wildlife FEATURING David Mallett

SAT., DEC. 8 MAIN STREET LANDING PERFORMING ARTS CENTER BLACK BOX THEATER, BURLINGTON

Share the Light: A Hanukkah Party

SAT., DEC. 8 ZENBARN, WATERBURY CENTER

Adirondack Pack Basket Workshop

SUN., DEC. 9 NORTHWOOD GALLERY, STOWE

Main Street Alliance Year-End Celebration SUN., DEC. 9 THE ALCHEMIST, STOWE

Christmas at the Silent Movies

SUN., DEC. 9 DOUBLE E PERFORMANCE CENTER, ESSEX JUNCTION

Vermont Jazz Ensemble

SUN., DEC. 9 ZENBARN, WATERBURY CENTER

Scars on 45

MON., DEC. 10 ZENBARN, WATERBURY CENTER

” e Backline Collective and ” e Stash! Band FRI., DEC. 14 ZENBARN, WATERBURY CENTER

Holiday Cookie Decorating Class

MON., DEC. 17 (FOR KIDS IN GRADES 1-8) RICHMOND COMMUNITY KITCHEN

Jennifer Hartswick and Nicholas Cassarino SUN., DEC. 23 ZENBARN, WATERBURY CENTER

Queen: Burlesque Tribute Show

SAT., DEC. 15 GREEN MOUNTAIN CABARET, CLUB METRONOME, BURLINGTON

Reggae Holidaze: ” e Big Takeover + Rootshock

FRI., DEC. 28 ZENBARN, WATERBURY CENTER

Gingerbread Crafting SUN., DEC. 16 (FOR AGES 3-4 WITH CAREGIVER) RICHMOND COMMUNITY KITCHEN

” e Mallett Brothers Band and Say Darling SAT., DEC. 29 ZENBARN, WATERBURY CENTER

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SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

12/4/18 2:14 PM

art

Shining ‘Star’

Newport’s St. Mary serves Communion and community B Y AMY LI LLY

he small Northeast Kingdom city of Newport boasts a Catholic church of staggering proportions. Built of local granite, it sits on a dramatic perch overlooking Lake Memphremagog and nearby Canada. Its twin towers are 105 feet tall, its walls nearly three feet thick. It seats 550 people on pews that cant gradually toward the altar on a theater floor. It’s more impressive than Vermont’s only cathedral, the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Burlington, which is the bishop’s seat. By all appearances, this grand Romanesque monument — christened St. Mary Star of the Sea in 1909 — should be in Montréal or Boston, not in a town whose population has never topped 5,300. But St. Mary’s founder, Father Antoine Clermont, was a “visionary” who “didn’t care about the budget,” Fred Wilson explained wryly while giving Seven Days

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

carefully. According to a survey, Vermont is the least religious state in the nation. Church attendance is reportedly down across all faiths, and the Catholic Church has taken an added hit from revelations of its priest-abuse cover-up. The collection basket is getting shallower while maintenance costs continue to mount. Yet no one wants to see Vermont’s iconic churches — many of them in rural towns — go away. “We have these architectural gems that were built to last a thousand years,” said Lisa Ryan, a field service representative with the Preservation Trust of Vermont. Along with farms, forests and beautiful winding roads, Ryan said, “churches are a big part of our Vermont identity.” While St. Mary may have begun as an extravagance, today it’s one of the state’s

ARCHITECTURE

COURTESY OF FRED WILSON

St. Mary Star of the Sea

a recent tour. Wilson emphatically does care. Now the church’s consultant and project coordinator, he served until June as office manager for Mater Dei Parish, to which St. Mary belongs, one of 73 parishes in Vermont. According to Glenn Andres and Curtis Johnson’s book Buildings of Vermont, when Clermont launched the extravagant church’s construction in 1904, the Vermont diocese sought to block it. That failed, so the diocese placed Clermont “under interdiction for his obstinacy” and transferred him just before the building was completed. The bankrupt parish didn’t pay off its debt until 1946, according to a commemorative book printed for the church’s 2009 centennial. These days, churches such as St. Mary have to consider budgetary matters very

healthiest churches. As Preservation Trust director Paul Bruhn commented, “The Newport church is an example of a church congregation that’s working very hard to stay viable and vibrant. And Fred is an example of someone who is very passionate about both the building, which is amazing, and the church’s mission.” About 1,500 families are on the rolls of Mater Dei, whose churches are St. Mary, St. Edward the Confessor in Derby Line, St. Benedict Labré in West Charleston and St. James the Greater in Island Pond. (The parish used to include St. Bernard of Clairvaux in Norton, but that remote border structure was decommissioned owing to dwindling attendance in 2009 and is up for sale.) While off-season Sunday attendance fills perhaps half the pews, the church is generally full during busy summer months, and Christmas masses draw a standing-room-only crowd. “That’s more than I had in New Jersey,” said Father Rijo Johnson, St. Mary’s voluble, upbeat pastor from Kerala, India, who is one of the parish’s three priests. Johnson served in Newark, N.J., for 10 years before coming to Newport in July 2017. Seven Days reached him by phone in the rectory beside the church, a smaller but equally beautiful granite structure with a round tower facing the lake. Johnson has reached out to the larger Newport community in numerous ways. He opened the annual picnic — organized by the church’s active Knights of Columbus — to the public, giving more than the congregation access to the church’s “million-dollar view,” as Johnson put it. Public concerts by a children’s bell choir from the town’s multidenominational United Christian Academy typically fill the church. Last July 4, Johnson began serving ice cream to fireworks watchers who hauled chairs up to the church grounds. Annual outdoor vehicle and pet blessings regularly take place in the parking lot. The church also provides gas vouchers and bagged groceries to needy visitors and to 15 to 20 families every Thursday. Nancy Cook, a Eucharistic minister at St. Mary and retired director of Passumpsic Savings Bank, described St. Mary as one of

COURTESY OF AMY LILLY

Kids

$10

Adults

View of St. Mary from the choir loft

four Newport churches that coordinate covers some of the original trompe-l’oeil their efforts to tend to the community’s detail by Naphtali Rochon. The Québéneeds; the others are St. Mark’s Episcopal cois artist based his grisaille renderings Church, Newport of the life of Christ, Church of God, seen throughout and a single instithe church, on tution known as originals by James the Federated Tissot, while inserting his own United MethodLISA RYAN ist and United face in nearly Church of Christ. every scene. (He is Christ up in the choir Wilson oversees the physical church’s loft.) Unfortunately, a full removal of the restoration, an ongoing project that has latex layer is currently unaffordable, said cost an estimated $200,000 since 2008. Wilson. Major grants of $50,000 that year and Nevertheless, St. Mary has avoided $40,000 in 2016, from a partnership of the fate of other churches around the the Preservation Trust and the Carl M. state. Vermont’s state architectural Freeman Foundation, helped repoint the historian, Devin Colman, cited the case granite blocks, which had begun to shift of St. Jerome’s Catholic Church in East because of crumbling mortar. Dorset, built in the Carpenter Gothic style An extra cash infusion occurred spon- in 1874. The Catholic Diocese tore it down taneously during the centennial celebra- in 2016. “There was no regulatory ‘hook’ tion. The late real estate mogul Tony at the local, state or federal level to require Pomerleau, who grew up in Newport consideration of alternatives to demoliand attended St. Mary, pledged $25,000 tion,” Colman wrote in an email. if then-pastor Father Yvon Royer would The same fate may await the Cathedral shave his beard. Royer immediately of the Immaculate Conception in Burlcomplied, and the transaction was ington, designed by well-known modern completed. “But I don’t think he was architect Edward Larrabee Barnes in 1977 happy when I grew it back,” the priest to fit into a grid of trees designed by evenwrote in an email. better-known landscape architect Dan St. Mary’s next project is the roof: Kiley. In October, the Cultural Landscape It needs new copper crickets and some Foundation in Washington, D.C., warned slate replacement, which will cost about in a “Landslide” alert that “the likelihood $100,000, Wilson estimated. The money that the cathedral will be demolished is will come from a capital campaign, grants increased by its proximity to the upcomand parishioners’ bequests. Meanwhile, ing CityPlace Burlington redevelopment Verizon’s cellphone antennae, installed project.” in both towers in 2006, provide rental The Preservation Trust works with a income that’s used for general operations. Philadelphia-based organization, Partners Inside, Wilson pointed out a chipped for Sacred Places, to reinvigorate churches spot on the plaster-and-horsehair-onlath walls. It reveals that white latex paint SHINING ‘STAR’ » P.83

CHURCHES ARE A BIG PART OF OUR VERMONT IDENTITY.

schedule and ticketing highlightbtv.org Untitled-1 1

11/26/18 6:05 PM

Give the gift of a full year of admission, discounts, events, free carousel rides, and more!

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SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

12/3/18 8:38 AM

art NEW THIS WEEK burlington

‘THE ART SHOW NO. 13’: An open-media exhibit in which members of the community are invited to show work. Reception: Friday, December 7, 6-9 p.m.; people’s choice mini grant awarded at 8:30 p.m. December 7-31. Info, publicartschool@gmail.com. RL Photo Studio in Burlington. CORRINA THURSTON: Graphite and colored pencil drawings and prints of animals by the Vermont artist. December 5-31. New Moon Café in Burlington.

‘THE INTREPID COUPLE AND THE STORY OF AUTHENICA AFRICAN IMPORTS’: A selection of African art collected by Jack and Lydia Clemmons, along with photos and listening stations, curated by the Clemmons Family Farm in Charlotte. Reception: Saturday, December 8, 2-4 p.m. December 8-March 9. Info, 652-4500. Amy E. Tarrant Gallery in Burlington.

barre/montpelier

DEE CHRISTIE & ROBIN LEONE: Old books

repurposed into works of art; and handcrafted felt hats, respectively. Art Walk reception: Friday, December 7, 4-8 p.m. December 7-31. Info, 223-1981. ƒe Cheshire Cat in Montpelier .

SHOW 29: Recent work by Vermont-based

contemporary member-artists. Reception: Friday, December 7, 4-8 p.m., with light fare and live music from Jay Saffran. December 7-January 20. Info, 552-0877. ƒe Front in Montpelier .

northeast kingdom

‘THE PAINTINGS OF LOUIS FRIED’: Organized by Catamount Arts, the collection of paintings address the immigrant experience of the 19th-century artist from Minsk, Russia. December 7-January 27. Info, 533-9075. Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro.

randolph/royalton

ERICK HUFSCHMID: “A Muse,” photographs taken in 2010 in the studio of collage artist Varujan Boghosian. VARUJAN BOGHOSIAN: Late work in construction and collage. Reception: Saturday, December 15, 3-4:30 p.m. December 12-January 26. Info, 767-9670. BigTown Gallery in Rochester.

outside vermont

HOLIDAY MEMBERS SHOW: Works in painting, drawing, photography, jewelry, sculpture, ﬁber, ceramics, stained glass, bead weaving, printmaking, mixed media and woodwork by artist-members of the gallery. Reception: December 7, 5:30-7:30 p.m. December 7-28. Info, 518-563-1604. Strand Center for the Arts in Plattsburgh, N.Y.

ART EVENTS 16TH ANNUAL MORETOWN ARTISANS SALE: Arts and crafts, food, music, and a visit from Santa on Sunday. Moretown Elementary School, Saturday, December 8, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sunday, December 9, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Info, 496-6466. 20TH ANNIVERSARY OPEN STUDIO & HOLIDAY SALE: Cotton Mill artists and artisans open their studios to show and sell a variety of works in ﬁne art, craft and specialty foods. Details at thecottonmill.org. Cotton Mill Main Studio, Brattleboro, Friday, December 7, 4-8 p.m., Saturday, December 8, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, December 9, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Info, info@ thecottonmill.org. ART RECEPTION AND BOOK LAUNCH PARTY: Corrina ƒurston, professional wildlife ar tist and author, opens “Disappearing Act...,” a display of artwork featuring animals considered threatened, endangered or vulnerable. ƒurston wil l also sign copies of paperback versions of her two art-business books New Moon Café, Burlington, Wednesday, December 5, 4-6 p.m. Info, 760-8206. E1 STUDIO COLLECTIVE HOLIDAY SHOP: Art for sale includes stained glass, fused glass, ceramics, cards,

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

‘th!NK’

CRYSTAL STOKES: Acrylic paintings by the central Vermont artist. Curated by SEABA. ƒrough December 31. Info, 859-9222. Art’s Alive Gallery in Burlington.

This exhibition

might give new meaning to the word “installation” — not to mention

creative

‘HOUSE TO HOME’: An exhibition examining the meaning of home through cultural, ethnographic and decorative art objects from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas and Oceania, ranging from antiquity to the present. ‘THE IMPOSSIBLE IDEAL: VICTORIAN FASHION AND FEMININITY’: An exhibition exploring how fashion embodied the many contradictions of Victorian women’s lives through clothing and accessories from the museum collection, accompanied by excerpts from popular American women’s magazines. ƒrough December 14. Info, 656-0750. Fleming Museum of Art, University of Vermont, in Burlington.

spelling.

Seemingly miles of white paper bearing drawings in black marker line a long wall at Burlington’s Flynndog gallery. They’re the cumulative work of some 900 students and 100 adults in the

KARA TORRES: “Myriad Veils,” multimedia works that explore literal and metaphorical veils and how they obscure and elucidate what lies beneath. ƒrough February 28. Info, 859-9222. Speeder & Earl’s Coffee in Burlington.

Brandon/Pittsford area of the Rutland Northeast Supervisory Union. Created at Compass Music

MARTHA HULL: “Cute + Deadly,” framed archival art prints featuring kittens, rainbows, zombies, thunderstorms and more, in the bar. ƒrough Januar y 26. Info, 862-9647. ƒe Daily Planet in Burlington.

and Arts Center in Brandon over three weeks in the spring of 2017, the floor-to-ceiling scrolls overlap

MUG SHOW: Local potter Dan Siegel’s mugs can be used for anyone sitting at the café counter during December, and all are for sale. Danmade pottery is handmade and incorporates original hand-drawn designs into each piece. ƒrough December 31. $40 per mug. Info, danmadepottery@gmail.com. Penny Cluse Café in Burlington.

for a wallpaper effect, with additional scrolls hanging freely. The collaborative drawing project, conceived in 2016, involved 32 bus trips to bring students, teachers, administrators and even the bus drivers from seven schools to contribute. Artists were encouraged to work in, on and around the drawings of those who came before them, ultimately creating a single ginormous work. Visitors to the Flynndog are invited to make their own contributions in provided sketchbooks. Through December 31. Pictured: installation detail. books, prints, ﬁne art and more. E1 Studio Collective, Burlington, Saturday, December 8, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Info, 408-234-0037. EMILY MITCHELL STUDIO RECEPTION: New, original art large and small as well as special holiday ornaments and mini-paintings by the Richmond artist. ƒir ty-odd, Burlington, Friday, December 7, 6-8:30 p.m. Info, 338-7441. FIRST FRIDAY ART: Dozens of galleries and other venues around the city open their doors to pedestrian art viewers in this monthly event. See Art Map Burlington program at participating locations. Various Burlington locations, Friday, December 7, 5-8 p.m. Info, 264-4839. HOLIDAY PAINT & SIP (TEA): Artist Juliet O’Neil leads participants in painting a wintry wonderland. Tea and snacks provided. Free to seniors. RSVP. River Arts, Morrisville, Wednesday, December 12, 9 a.m.-noon. Info, 888-1261, info@riverartsvt.org. HOLIDAY STUDIO SALE: Unique wheel-thrown pottery, light refreshments and entertainment, plus a free gift for the ﬁrst 50 customers. Claude Lehman Pottery, Burlington, Friday, December 7, 4-8 p.m.; and Saturday, December 8, and Sunday, December 9, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Info, 399-5181. KATHLEEN SCHNEIDER & BILL DAVISON: “Bird Over America,” sculpture and works on paper by Schneider, and metallic and iridescent monotypes by Davison. Chace Mill, Burlington, Saturday, December 8, 3-8 p.m. MONTPELIER ART WALK: Stroll to more than 25 venues to see original artwork. Various Montpelier locations, Friday, December 7, 4-8 p.m. Info, 223-9604. MORETOWN ARTISANS SALE: Works by more than two dozen artists in a variety of mediums. Live enter-

VISUAL ART IN SEVEN DAYS:

tainment on Saturday and a free photo booth with Santa on Sunday. Silent auction and raffle to benefit Hannah’s House all weekend. Moretown Elementary School, Saturday, December 8, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sunday, December 9, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Info, 917-1729. OPEN ART STUDIO: Seasoned makers and firsttimers alike convene to paint, knit and craft in a friendly environment. Bring a table covering for messy projects. Swanton Public Library, Tuesday, December 11, 4-8 p.m. Free. Info, swantonartscouncil@gmail.com.

NORTHERN VERMONT ARTIST ASSOCIATION: Works in a variety of mediums by members of the group, which began in 1931. Curated by SEABA. ƒrough December 31. Info, 859-9222. RETN & VCAM Media Factory in Burlington. PAULINE JENNINGS: “Becoming Human,” an intermedia exhibition that seeks to identify and dissolve barriers between human and wild in the Anthropocene era. ‘TECTONIC INDUSTRIES: DREAMS CAN COME TRUE’: ƒrough sculpture, instructional videos, physical surveys and interactive activities, Lars Boye Jerlach and Helen Stringfellow present a series of self-help questionnaires to explore the impossibility of our collective, endless search for concrete answers and endeavor for selfimprovement. ƒrough Februar y 9. Info, 865-7166. BCA Center in Burlington.

TALK: DONALD SAAF: ƒe ar tist discusses his works in a current exhibition. Mitchell Giddings Fine Arts, Brattleboro, Saturday, December 8, 5 p.m. Info, 251-8290.

THATIANA OLIVEIRA & MADELINE VEITCH: “Sick and tired of being sick and tired: how to tell a story of a body and what ails it?,” an exhibition featuring interactive installations, sound pieces, performance, video and sculpture, curated by Sumru Tekin. ƒrough Januar y 17. Info, 735-2542. New City Galerie in Burlington.

WINOOSKI HIGH SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW: Local students give a 2018 cultural perspective of the city’s increasingly diverse population, in conjunction with Winooski Art Walk. ƒe Mil l Museum, Winooski, Friday, December 7, 6-9 p.m. Info, info@ themillmuseum.org.

‘TH!NK’: An installation of drawings by more than 900 students and 100 adults in the Rutland Northeast School District, made at the Compass Music and Arts Center in Brandon. ƒrough December 31. Info, jbrodowski@rnesu.org. Flynndog in Burlington.

WINTER MIXER AND WREATH AUCTION: ƒis annual beneﬁt for the Shelburne Craft School educational programs includes a live auction of artisan-made wreaths, food and drink. Limited tickets; details at shelburnecraftschool.org. Peg & Ter’s, Shelburne, ƒursday , December 6, 6-8:30 p.m. $35. Info, 985-3648.

TIMOTHY SANTIMORE: Acrylic paintings inﬂuenced by Eastern philosophies and the aesthetics of abstract of gestural abstraction. Curated by SEABA. Reception: Friday, December 7, 5-8 p.m., as part of Friday Art Walk. ƒrough December 31. Info, 859-9222. ƒe Gal lery at Main Street Landing in Burlington.

ONGOING SHOWS burlington

THE ART OF ADELINE KLIMA: ƒe 92-y ear-old artist, who has become legally blind, shows 30 paintings in pastel, oil and acrylic. ƒrough December 15. Info, 922-1666. Nunyuns Bakery & Café in Burlington.

ART LISTINGS AND SPOTLIGHTS ARE WRITTEN BY PAMELA POLSTON. LISTINGS ARE RESTRICTED TO ART SHOWS IN TRULY PUBLIC PLACES.

VERMONT ARTISTS GROUP SHOW: Works in a variety of mediums by Dennis McCarthy, Evan Greenwald, Frank DeAngelis, Janet Bonneau, Janie McKenzie, Jordan Holstein, Kara Torres, Lynne Reed, Marilyn Barry, Mike Reilly, Melissa Peabody, Rae Harrell, Robert Gold, Stephen Beattie, Tatiana Zelazo, Terry Mercy and Travis Alford. Open rotating exhibit, curated by SEABA. ƒrough December 31. Info, 859-9222. ƒe Inno vation Center of Vermont in Burlington.

GET YOUR ART SHOW LISTED HERE!

IF YOU’RE PROMOTING AN ART EXHIBIT, LET US KNOW BY POSTING INFO AND IMAGES BY THURSDAYS AT NOON ON OUR FORM AT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/POSTEVENT OR GALLERIES@SEVENDAYSVT.COM.

WINTER SHOW: An eclectic mix of art and artists including Steve Sharon (paintings), Justine Poole (mosaic furniture), Danny Lefrançois (mixed-media works), Jason Pappas (recycled/repurposed/assemblage), Eric Eickmann (paintings), Jon Black (metal jewelry), Brea Schwartz (HANKS, handkerchiefs designed by women artists), Jeff Bruno (paintings), Nicole Christman (paintings), Zobird Pottery (stoneware and porcelain), Gus Warner (paintings), Tessa Hill (handblown glass and mixed media), Martha Hull (paintings), and Frank DeAngelis (paintings). Œrough December 31. Info, 318-0963. Œe Green Door Studio in Burlington.

chittenden county

CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS: Landscape and cityscape paintings by Carolyn Walton, Athenia Schinto, Helen Nagel and Ken Russack. Œrough March 24. Info, 985-8223. Luxton-Jones Gallery in Shelburne. ‘ILLUMINATE: THE WINTER GROUP SHOW’: Œe 18-person exhibition highlights Montpelier artist Sam Colt’s mixed-media grassello works. Œrough January 31. Info, 985-3848. Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery in Shelburne. ‘INTO THE WOODS’: Established and emerging artists display two-dimensional artworks about the season’s change. Œrough December 31. Info, catherine.mcmains@gmail.com. Jericho Town Hall. JOHN OPULSKI: “Undercurrent,” new oil and acrylic paintings. Œrough December 30. Emile A. Gruppe Gallery in Jericho. JUDI MACULAN AND JOHN PENOYAR: New works by the Hinesburg artists. Œrough December 31. Info, 482-2878. Carpenter-Carse Library in Hinesburg. JULIE ANN DAVIS: “Natural Expressions in Oil,” works by the artist and 17th-generation Vermonter that extend beyond her local roots to the inner world of her imagination. Œrough December 31. Shelburne Vineyard. LIONEL DELEVINGNE: “To the Village Square: From Montague to Fukushima, 1975-2014,” photographs from around the world that merge politics and art by the French photographer. Œrough December 8. Info, bcollier@smcvt.edu. McCarthy Art Gallery, Saint Michael’s College, in Colchester. LYNDA REEVES MCINTYRE: “Abundance,” new paintings and ﬁbers celebrating the visual joy, gesture and “voice” of Mother Nature’s bounty. Œrough Januar y 30. Info, 985-3819. All Souls Interfaith Gathering in Shelburne. ‘MAPPING AN UNEVEN COUNTRY: BIRD’S EYE VIEWS OF VERMONT’: More than three dozen drawn, painted and printed views of the Green Mountain State investigate the popular 19thcentury phenomenon of “perspective” or “bird’s-eye” views. Œrough March 3. ‘NEW ENGLAND NOW’: Œe inaugural exhibition in a curated biennial series featuring contemporary Northeast artists organized around thematic subject matter. Œrough January 13. Info, 985-3346. Pizzagalli Center for Art and Education, Shelburne Museum. SAM WYATT: “Darkness Obscured,” giclée prints of original watercolor paintings that explore abandoned industrial buildings in West Rutland. Œrough December 31. Info, s.wyatt826@gmail.com. Healthy Living Market & Café in South Burlington.

barre/montpelier

‘7WOMEN, 7WALLS’: Mary Admasian, Alisa Dworsky, Karen Henderson, Evie Lovett, Hannah Morris, Janet Van Fleet and Kristen M. Watson show their choice of work in a variety of mediums. Art Walk hours: Friday, December 7, 5-7 p.m. Œrough December 28. Info, 828-3291. Spotlight Gallery in Montpelier. ANNE DAVIS: “A Peaceable Kingdom,” new paintings on old canvases by the Barre artist. Œrough January 5. Info, 279-6403. CVMC Art Gallery in Berlin. ‘ANYTHING FOR SPEED: AUTOMOBILE RACING IN VERMONT’: A yearlong exhibition exploring more than a century of the history and evolution of rac-

ing in Vermont through the objects, photographs and recollections that comprise this unique story. Œrough March 30. Info, 479-8500. V ermont History Center in Barre. CELEBRATE!: Œis annual holiday season show includes a diverse selection of fine art and crafts by SPA artists displayed on all three floors of the art center. Expanded hours in December. More info at studioplacearts.com. Œrough December 27. Info, 479-7069. Studio Place Arts in Barre. DIANE FITCH: “Interior/Exterior,” paintings and drawings drawn from the artist’s life, with depictions of everyday life as well as private spaces within her psyche. Œrough December 21. Info, 279-5558. Vermont Supreme Court Gallery in Montpelier. HOLIDAY POP-UP SHOP & SILENT AUCTION: Œe gallery’s annual holiday pop-up shop includes unique and affordable works from Vermont artists including Barbara Leber, Anne Davis, Gale Crowl and Raquel Sobel. Œrough Januar y 4. THOMAS WATERMAN WOOD: THE MASTER COPIES: Œe 19th-centur y Vermont painter and gallery namesake copied paintings seen on European trips to learn from masters such as Rembrandt and Turner, and brought the paintings back to Montpelier. Œrough June 1. Info, 262-6035. T .W. Wood Gallery in Montpelier. ‘INNOVATORS OF NORWICH: BUILDING A NATION’: Œe second exhibition in a two-par t series focusing on advances in railroad engineering, science, architecture and infrastructure. Highlighted contributions from Russell Porter, Edward Dean Adams, William Rutherford Meade and Grenville Dodge. Œrough December 21. Info, 485-2811. Sullivan Museum & History Center, Norwich University, in Northfield. LINDA MIRABILE: “All Œings A vian,” an exhibit of new abstract and realistic paintings by the Berlin artist depicting crows, flamingos and more. Œrough December 31. Info, 229-6206. Nor th Branch Nature Center in Montpelier. MARK HEITZMAN: “Scrap Yard,” 10 large-scale graphite or charcoal drawings of tools and other objects. Œrough March 2. Info, 479-7069. Morse Block Deli & Taps in Barre. MELANIE BROTZ: “Winging It,” mixed-media bird paintings using materials salvaged from the waste stream, including windows, mirrors, boards and picture frames. Œrough December 15. Info, 485-4786. Montpelier City Hall Arts Center. ‘SEEDS OF RENEWAL’: An exploration of Abenaki agricultural history, cuisine and ceremony. Œrough April 30. Info, 828-2291. Vermont History Museum in Montpelier.

Multiple medications?

12/3/18 7:03 PM

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stowe/smuggs

2018 LEGACY COLLECTION: Work by a selection of gallery artists. ‘GEMS AND GIANTS: A members’ exhibit of very small and very large works. HEARTBEET FELTS: Felted works of art by adults with developmental disabilities living at Heartbeet, a life-sharing community in Hardwick and Craftsbury. Œrough December 23. Info, 644-5100. Bryan Memorial Gallery in Jeffersonville. ‘ALTERED SPACES’: A group exhibition curated by Kelly Holt featuring collage, photography, painting and multimedia installation; the show will build in layers throughout its run. Artists include Paul Gruhler, Dana Heffern, Ric Kasini Kadour, Lydia Kern, Erika Senft Miller, John M. Miller and Kathryn Lipke Vigesaa. Œrough Januar y 7. Info, 760-4634. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe Mountain Resort. ‘COLORFUL & CURVACEOUS: CAPTIVATING QUILT ART’: Fabric works by Judy B. Dales, who began making quilts in 1970 with a focus on geometric patterns but soon evolved to create ﬂuid designs of curved lines and lyrical shapes. ‘REMEMBRANCE’: An exhibit featuring work by mixed-media collage artist and ﬁne art photographer Athena Petra

STOWE/SMUGGS SHOWS

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smilinsteve.com • 802.775.2545 3v-smilinsteve-dispill.indd 1

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

9/17/18 2:57 PM

art STOWE/SMUGGS SHOWS

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Tasiopoulos and artist, feminist and educator Nina Dubois. ƒrough Januar y 9. Gallery at River Arts in Morrisville. MEMBERS’ ART SHOW & SALE AND FESTIVAL OF TREES & LIGHT: ƒe annual indoor/outdoor show includes works in a variety of mediums, as well as artisan-decorated evergreens and a Hanukkah display of menorahs, games and dreidels. ƒrough December 29. Info, 253-8358. Helen Day Art Center in Stowe. ‘PEAK TO PEAK: 10TH MOUNTAIN DIVISION THEN AND NOW’: An exhibition of photographs and artifacts to highlight the evolution of the division’s equipment and training since its beginning in 1943. ƒrough October 31. Info, 253-9911. V ermont Ski and Snowboard Museum in Stowe. STUDENT EXHIBIT: Work by BFA students Shastina Ann-Wallace, Kiersten Slater and Savannah LesCord. ƒrough December 14. Info, 635-1469. Julian Scott Memorial Gallery, Northern Vermont University, in Johnson.

STUDENT EXHIBIT: Works by BFA students Luke Hungerford and Sam Reynolds. Reception: Wednesday, December 5, 3-5 p.m. ƒrough December 14. Info, 635-1469. Black Box Gallery, Visual Arts Center in Johnson.

‘THE ART OF FOOD’: Established and emerging artists are invited to submit one or two pieces of work in any medium that addresses the theme. Must be ready to hang. Exhibit will be January through April. Deadline: December 21. Jericho Town Hall. Info, catherine.mcmains@gmail.com. ‘THE ART SHOW’: Accepting artwork of any size or medium in this ongoing, open-invite community art exhibit. Drop off work on Friday, December 7, between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Reception for exhibit is at 6 p.m. RL Photo Studio, Burlington. Info, publicartschool@gmail.com. MORRISTOWN MOSAICS: Collaborate in part two of the “Mosaic Project,” a group exhibit that celebrates how individuals, working together, contribute to a more vibrant community. Participants will receive a prepared panel to create a small work using a section of a photograph for inspiration. ƒese wil l be collected and reassembled for an exhibit in July. Panels available week of January 14; artworks due May 1. River Arts, Morrisville. Info, 888-1261, info@riverartsvt.org. ‘ON THE FLY’: Submissions open for a juried exhibition of ﬂy ﬁshing in New England and the northern forest region of Vermont, New York, New Hampshire and Maine. Submissions should express and interpret this theme. Deadline: January 1. Grange Hall Cultural Center, Waterbury Center. Free. Info, 244-4168, grangehallcc@gmail.com.

SCHOOL ART EXHIBITION: A showcase of works by students of regional schools. ƒrough December 21. Christine Price Gallery, Castleton University.

emerging and established artists, selected by juror Nick Capasso. ƒrough Februar y 15. Info, 748-2600. Catamount Arts Center in St. Johnsbury.

CHAFFEE HOLIDAY EXHIBIT: Art, gingerbread houses, unique handmade gifts and more in this annual show. ƒrough Januar y 5. Info, 775-0356. Chaffee Art Center in Rutland.

ELAINE COLE KERR: Spring and summer Northeast Kingdom landscapes in a variety of mediums by the local artist. ƒrough December 10. Info, aliceperron2@ gmail.com. Hardwick Street Café at the Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro.

TJ CUNNINGHAM: “Roots,” landscapes of Addison County by the Vermont artist. Reception: Friday, December 7, 5-7 p.m. ƒrough Januar y 11. Info, 760-6785. Edgewater Gallery in Stowe.

DANIELLE KLEBES: “Aimless Pilgrimage,” paintings about people in ﬂux or moments of uncertainty by the North Adams, Mass., artist. ƒrough Januar y 11. Info, 299-7511. 77 Gallery in Rutland.

TREVOR AND ANNA CORP: ƒe husband and wife artists present works in two and three dimensions. Additional work is on view in Gallery II across campus; must ask for entry. ƒrough December 21. Info, 635-2727. Red Mill Gallery at Vermont Studio Center in Johnson.

LOU SCOTT: “150 Visual/Word Dioramas” by the local artist. ƒrough Januar y 12. Info, the77gallery@gmail. com. B&G Gallery in Rutland.

mad river valley/waterbury

‘AT THE TABLE’: An exhibition of local pastel paintings celebrating the food we grow and eat, featuring central Vermont artists Belle McDougall, Carol Eberlein, Joyce Kahn, Cristine Kossow, Laura Winn Kane and Wendy Soliday. ƒrough Januar y 1. Info, 244-4168. Grange Hall Cultural Center in Waterbury Center. ‘CELEBRATE THE SMALL’: Artworks 10 by 10 inches or smaller by nine area artists, priced at $100, for the holidays. ƒrough December 22. Info, 244-7801. Axel’s Gallery & Frame Shop in Waterbury. F/7 PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP: “Grace,” images by members of the photo group. ƒrough December 31. Info, 244-6606. Waterbury Congregational Church. MARCIA HILL: “ƒrough the Seasons,” pastel land scapes by the Worcester artist. ƒrough December 31. Info, 244-7036. Waterbury Public Library.

middlebury area

11TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY SHOW: Original ﬁne art, crafts and jewelry in a variety of mediums and styles by local artists, on exhibit and for sale. ƒrough December 31. Info, 382-9222. Jackson Gallery, Town Hall ƒeater , in Middlebury. ‘GROWING FOOD, GROWING FARMERS’: Large-scale photographic portraits of Rutland County farm families taken by Macaulay Lerman, accompanied by biographies and audio excerpts drawn from the ﬁeldwork of Greg Sharrow and Andy Kolovos. ƒrough December 31. Info, 388-4964. V ermont Folklife Center in Middlebury. SILKSCREEN PRINTS: Students of Hedya Klein’s silkscreen printmaking class show their work from the semester. ƒrough December 6. Info, 443-5258. Johnson Memorial Building, Middlebury College. ‘TRAVEL: PLACES AND FACES’: A showcase of 34 photographers from around the world, juried by Krista Rossow. ƒrough December 8. Info, 388-4500. PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury.

rutland/killington

‘CELLBLOCK VISIONS’: A collection of artwork by prisoners in America, curated by Phyllis Kornfeld. HIGH

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

manchester/bennington

CALL TO ARTISTS

‘POLLEN RACE’: Art and poetry on endangered species, our fragile environment and climate change, with special focus on the plight of bees. ƒrough Januar y 6. Info, 468-2592. Merwin Gallery in Castleton.

upper valley

JACK ROWELL: “Cultural Documentarian,” portraits of Vermont people and other wildlife by the Braintree photographer. ƒrough April 1. Info, info@mainstreetmuseum.org. Main Street Museum in White River Junction. LIZ ROSS: “Im/migration,” a collection of oil-on-panel paintings completed during a Vermont Studio Center residency; part of a larger series concerned with the immigration and extinction of birds and the migration, expulsion and exile of peoples. ƒrough December 5. Info, 295-0808. Scavenger Gallery in White River Junction. ‘MAKING MUSIC: THE SCIENCE OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS’: An exhibition exploring the science behind the instruments used to create music, from well-known classics to infectious pop tunes. ƒrough May 13. Info, 649-2200. Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich. ‘THE MARSHLAND FARMS ANYTHING GOES ART SHOW’: Artwork in watercolor, oil and acrylic by Kate Reeves, Jennifer Dembinski, Joan Oppenheimer, Kay Wood and Mary Church ƒrough Januar y 2. Info, 295-3133. ƒe Quechee Inn at Marshland Farm. SMALL WORKS EXHIBIT: An exhibit of small-scale works for the holiday season, including a wall of 50 panels measuring 50 square inches each. ƒrough December 22. Info, 457-3500. ArtisTree Community Arts Center & Gallery in South Pomfret. STEPHANIE GORDON: “Root & Branch,” mixed-media encaustic paintings by the Piermont, N.H., artist. ƒrough December 5. Info, thespaceonmain@gmail. com. ƒe Space on Main in Bradford.

northeast kingdom

ANNUAL HOLIDAY SHOW: Guest and member artisans present an array of handmade wares, from pottery to scarves to furniture. ƒrough Januar y 5. Info, 748-0158. Northeast Kingdom Artisans Guild Backroom Gallery in St. Johnsbury. ARTS CONNECT AT CATAMOUNT ARTS JURIED SHOW: Fourth annual juried showcase of works by

FACULTY ART EXHIBIT: Work in a variety of mediums with the theme of “north” by gallery director Barclay Tucker, Kate Renna, Harry Mueller and others. ƒrough Januar y 18. Info, 626-6459. Quimby Gallery, Northern Vermont University-Lyndon, in Lyndonville. ‘FARMING, THE ART OF STEWARDSHIP’: A group exhibit of 20 paintings of scenes at four conserved farms in the Memphremagog Watershed by six members of Plein Air Northeast Kingdom. ƒrough December 30. Info, sarah.damsell@vt.nacdnet.net. ƒe East Side Restaurant & Pub in Newpor t. ‘LOCKED DOWN! KEYED IN! LOCKED OUT! KEYED UP!’: An exhibition examining the long human relationship to the lock and key, its elegant design and philosophies and practices of securing, safeguarding, imprisoning, escaping and safecracking throughout the ages. ƒrough April 30. Info, claredol@so ver.net. ƒe Museum of Ev eryday Life in Glover. RICHARD BROWN: Black-and-white photographs of nostalgic Vermont landscapes and people. ƒrough December 31. Info, 748-2372. Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium in St. Johnsbury. SUE TESTER: Recent photographs of the landscape and animals of the Northeast Kingdom. ƒrough January 8. Info, 525-3366. Parker Pie Co. in West Glover. ‘WINTER!’: Curated by Victoria Mathiesen and Andrea Strobach, the seasonal show includes 2D MAC member artwork and winter-themed work from private collections. ƒrough Januar y 19. Info, 334-1966. MAC Center for the Arts Gallery in Newport.

brattleboro/okemo valley

DONALD SAAF: Paintings, illustrations and sculptures at the intersection of ﬁne art and folk art. ƒrough Januar y 6. Info, 251-8290. Mitchell Giddings Fine Arts in Brattleboro. EMILY MASON: “To Another Place,” 50 abstract paintings created by the 86-year-old New York/ Brattleboro artist between 1958 and 2018, many of which have never been shown in public. ƒrough February 10. MICHAEL POSTER: “If she has a pulse, she has a chance,” photographs of individuals in the process of recovery from addiction, taken by the Turning Point counselor ƒrough Januar y 7. Info, 257-0124. Brattleboro Museum & Art Center. ‘HEALING — THE TRANSFORMATIVE IMAGERY OF ART’: Works exploring the connection between the arts, healing and health, including Mary Admasian, Natalie Blake, Robert Carsten, Karen Deets, Robert DuGrenier, Carolyn Enz Hack, Margaret Jacobs, Neomi Lauritsen, Pat Musick, Robert O’Brien, Priscilla Petraska and Cai Xi Silver. ƒrough March 30. Info, lightson_mary@comcast.net. ƒe Great Hal l in Springﬁeld.

PAT MUSICK: “Where Did You Come From Anyway?,” large- and small-scale sculpture and two-dimensional works made from natural media including wood, stone, paper and beeswax. ƒrough December 30. Info, 447-1571. Bennington Museum. TORKWASE DYSON: “Scalar,” large-scale abstract paintings responding to sculptor and former Bennington College professor Tony Smith. ƒrough December 15. Info, 442-5401. Bennington College.

randolph/royalton

17TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY MARKET: Gifts for the holidays by Vermont artists and crafters, available ƒursdays through Sundays. ƒrough December 23. Info, 728-9878. Chandler Gallery in Randolph. BEN FRANK MOSS: “Landscape Mysteries,” abstract paintings. ERIKA LAWLOR SCHMIDT: “Infinity of Worlds,” collage works that navigate contradictory worlds. ƒrough December 8. Info, 767-9670. BigTown Gallery in Rochester. ‘BRANCHING OUT’: Original watercolor paintings by Vermont artist Amy Hook-ƒerrien. ƒrough February 8. Info, 728-8912. White River Craft Center in Randolph. CARRIE CAOUETTE-DE LALLO: “Vessels,” recent paintings and drawings by the Chelsea artist. ƒrough Januar y 12. Info, 685-4699. North Common Arts in Chelsea. CIARA CUMISKEY: “Chapters: New Works,” still lifes, landscapes and imaginative scenes by the Californian artist. ƒrough December 31. Info, 7637094. Royalton Memorial Library in South Royalton. ‘GERALD AUTEN: GRAPHITE INSOMNIA’: Geometric abstractions in graphite powder or pencil and bonding agents on paper by the senior lecturer in studio art at Dartmouth College. ƒrough December 16. Info, 498-8438. White River Gallery in South Royalton. JANE BOOTH: “Spirits of Place,” an evolving collection of evocative images made in Newbury, one of the first Vermont towns settled along the Connecticut River. ƒrough Januar y 7. Info, jane. booth.1@gmail.com. Hartness Gallery, Vermont Technical College, in Randolph Center. MARIANNE BENOIR: “A Retrospective: ƒen ƒrough Now,” a solo show of color and black-and-white images of flora, fauna, places, things and people by the South Royalton photographer. ƒrough Januar y 9. Info, 889-9404. Tunbridge Public Library. MATIKA WILBUR: “Project 562,” photographic portraits and stories of members of more than 562 federally recognized Native America tribes. ƒrough January 1. Info, 299-5593. Vermont Law School in South Royalton.

outside vermont

‘ALEXANDER CALDER: RADICAL INVENTOR’: More than 100 works by the child prodigy and kinetic sculptor who became one of the 20th century’s most celebrated artists. ƒrough Februar y 24. ‘OF INDIVIDUALS AND PLACES’: Nearly 100 Canadian and international photographs from the collection of Jack Lazare. ƒrough April 28. Info, 514-285-2000. Montréal Museum of Fine Arts. AVA HOLIDAY EXHIBITION: Unique gifts by local artists in a variety of mediums, including handmade ornaments. ƒrough December 24. Info, 603-4483117. AVA Gallery and Art Center in Lebanon, N.H. ‘FALL INTO AUTUMN’: En plein air paintings by members of the Odanaksis artists’ group. ƒrough December 21. Info, 603-653-3460. DH Aging Resource Center in Lebanon, N.H. FRANÇOISE SULLIVAN: A retrospective exhibition highlighting the key role of the artist in the history of modern and contemporary art in Québec. ƒrough January 20. Info, 514-285-1600. Montréal Museum of Contemporary Art. ‘UKIYO-E TO SHIN HANGA’: An exhibition of Japanese woodcuts from the Syracuse University art collection. ƒrough December 30. Info, 518-792-1761. ƒe Hy de Collection in Glens Falls, N.Y.

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Partners for Sacred Places workshop. Now the restored 1874 building fills of all denominations by “building the previously unmet community needs capacity of congregations of historic with weekly yoga and smoking-cessasacred places to better serve their commu- tion classes, youth classes, community nities as anchor institutions, nurturing dinners, and more. Church attendance transformation and shaping vibrant, is up eightfold. creative communities.” (Wilson is in the Other churches have been successinitial stages of talking with Partners for fully repurposed. The United Church Sacred Places.) Annual Preservation Trust of Christ donated its Putney church to workshops hosted at the Grand Isle Lake the Putney Historical Society, which House aim to show churches that “they partnered with Next Stage Arts Project. can draw finanNow the church is cial support from a gathering place outside the congrewith a secondgation if they play a floor performing role in community arts center and life,” said Bruhn. movie house. The Some churches Episcopal Diocese have actually downsized its two managed to attract Brandon-area churches to one, bigger congregations that way. When Todd Eaton began selling its 1854 Gothic Revival Grace serving as pastor of the United Baptist Episcopal Church in Forest Dale to a Church of Poultney, five years ago, he woodworker. The artist installed his found that the historically significant workshop in the basement and uses the 1805 church had eight regular attend- sanctuary as a gallery. In the unlikely event that St. Mary ees, all older than 60. He opened the doors to the public for East Poultney Day needs to be repurposed, its obvious next and other local events, turning around incarnation would be a concert or theater an insular church culture. Recently he hall. For now, its proponents are worklaunched a fundraising campaign for ing hard to keep people in the faith and major exterior restoration and accessi- attract new initiates. Johnson said 50 to bility work for $400,000, partly matched 60 parishioners die every year. Deacon by the National Fund for Sacred Places. Ward Nolan currently has four people in Regular attendees now number between his class for Catholic initiates, and about 20 and 40, Eaton said by phone. 110 children and their parents attend The Methodist Church intended to catechism classes. demolish Grace Community Church “We’re really evangelizing now. It’s in Canaan until a group of concerned imperative that we do because of the community members attended a numbers of people falling away [from the faith],” said Nolan, who has served at St. Mary for six years and lived in Newport for 45. “We live in such a St. Mary Star of the Sea secular world, and relativism is the new religion.” Cook recalled reading the commemorative book’s description of the opening mass at St. Mary, which overflowed the space. “It’s a sign of the times that the church pews are not being filled like they used to,” she said. Nevertheless, “We are doing OK financially. We have some serious repair issues ahead of us. But we’re hanging strong.” SHINING ‘STAR’

BY ALL APPEARANCES,

COURTESY OF FRED WILSON

THIS GRAND ROMANESQUE MONUMENT SHOULD BE IN MONTRÉAL OR BOSTON.

Welcome 2019 with an Authentic 4-Course Filipino Dinner, and Bid the Past Year Adieu! Start off with a small plate appetizer of your choice, followed with noodles for long-life. Select from a variety of authentic main dishes, and cap everything off with an ‘eat all you want’ Filipino cake tray. Dinner includes a glass of Clos Amador Cava Reserva (Spain)*, and keep the commemorative champagne flutes to take home! We’ll also have party swags and noise-makers to send you off to your next celebration! As they say in the islands, MABUHAY! *Adults 45/Kids 29.

Vegetarian options available, as well as wine in lieu of champagne. Seating starts promptly at 5pm, and ends at 9pm. Reservations highly recommended!

Contact: lilly@ sevendaysvt.com

INFO

Tue to Thu, 11:30am—7:30pm; Fri & Sat until 8pm from 12/23—12/30. NYE’s Dinner 12/31 (5pm to 9pm) from 1/1/2019 until 2/12/2019. We reopen on 2/13/2019

Learn more at materdeivermont.com/ st-mary-star-of-the-sea. Untitled-16 1

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

11/21/18 10:44 AM

movies The Ballad of Buster Scruggs ★★★★★

magine a Coen brothers western that combines the stark fatalism of No Country for Old Men with the black comedy and ornate wordplay of their True Grit. Now imagine six of those westerns rolled into one. Better yet, just turn on your TV. The new movie from the world’s greatest filmmaking duo is now playing exclusively on Netflix. I say “now” since The Ballad of Buster Scruggs had a brief run in theaters last month. It didn’t make a lot of money. It wasn’t supposed to. It made history. Scruggs is the first Netflix release to be put in theaters before being put on the air. The company reversed its controversial streamingfirst position and made the concession to Hollywood for one reason: It means to win its first Best Picture Oscar this year. Joel and Ethan Coen love nothing better than screwing with genres and tropes. The tradition of the western, not surprisingly, proves a gold mine in their subversive hands. Conceived as a leather-bound collection of oater yarns, the movie is divided into six chapters, each with its own distinctive tone and palette. The first features Tim Blake Nelson as a singing cowboy with a violent streak. Clad

REVIEWS

in white, he dispenses philosophical asides as he rides from outpost to barren outpost in search of a poker game. What he finds instead is reason after reason to draw his six-shooter. It’s Roy Rogers meets Pale Rider, with funnier songs and a heavenly final twist. Reviewers have largely dismissed the second installment as the weakest, but I adored it. Like so much of this movie, it’s structured like a classic Norm Macdonald joke. The saga seems to start off in one direction, only to meander at an unhurried-yet-calculated pace, then culminate abruptly in the perfect, completely unexpected punch line. James Franco is spot-on as the unluckiest bank robber in the West. As the teller, Stephen Root creates a crazy visual gag of a character. The closing scene redefines gallows humor. The Norm Macdonald-est has to be the segment starring Zoe Kazan. At first it appears to track a young woman’s travails as she travels the Oregon Trail in a wagon train. Gradually, though, it veers into romance territory before, out of nowhere, going all white-knuckle on us in a finale involving prairie dogs, a thunderous attack by hostiles and then another perfect, unpredictable coda. Each chapter possesses its peculiar charms. Every one is a marvel of museum-quality art direction and showcases the brothers’ unpar-

AT HOME ON THE RANGE ° e Coens once again prove themselves capable of making any given year’s best western.

alleled flair for dialogue. Nobody else comes close to turning a phrase with so consummate a fusion of puffed-up period diction and poetry. Your ears will thank you. In addition to the top-tier talent already mentioned, the cast includes Tom Waits (great as a grizzled prospector), Liam Neeson in the role of a soulless impresario (think Colonel Tom Parker, only infinitely darker) and, in the closing chapter, Tyne Daly, Saul Rubinek and Brendan Gleeson. Passengers in a stagecoach hurtling across

Farmer of the Year ★★★★

armer of the Year may be the most Vermont movie ever made in Minnesota. To explain: Directors Vince O’Connell and Kathy Swanson shot the film in the Midwest, much of it in Swanson’s hometown of Tyler, Minn. (population 1,100). Then the couple, who own YellowHouse Films, did most of the postproduction at their yellow house in Craftsbury Common, Vt. Since then, the low-key comedy-drama has played festivals around the U.S., picking up honors such as the New Filmmakers Forum Emerging Director Award at the St. Louis International Film Festival. Audiences have praised its authenticity and humor and compared it to The Straight Story. Vermonters, however, might be more likely to think of John O’Brien’s Man With a Plan. Like that 1996 local cult classic, Farmer of the Year tells the story of a retired farmer who’s not ready to slow down. Barry Corbin, who played Maurice on “Northern Exposure,” stars as 83-year-old widower Hap Anderson, narrating the film in voice-over. Slow-moving and soft-spoken, Hap’s just sold the family farm to his son and daughter-in-law, but he’s still over there every day. When the younger folks hint that they’d like him to back off, Hap decides to spiff up his ’73 Winnebago and road-trip to the reunion of his World War II regiment, picking up an old flame along the way. Meanwhile, his fresh-out-of-college granddaughter, Ashley (Mackinlee Waddell), is fed up with liv84 SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

ALMOST GROWN A retired farmer road-trips with his granddaughter in the Vermont ﬁlmmakers’ feature debut, screening locally this week.

ing with her folks. After a blowup with her mom about her jobless status, she opts to join Gramps on his cross-country jaunt. In the wrong hands, this odd-couple story could have been pure corn. But Swanson’s screenplay avoids sentimentality, achieving instead the kind of gentle, humanistic comedy we rarely see these days in movie theaters. While the film’s first third is a little rambling,

it gathers steam as the pair sets off through South Dakota. Corbin and Waddell create full-fledged characters with great comic chemistry: Hap is an ornery bugger under his reserve, while Ashley wields a masterful millennial deadpan. Both are navigating life transitions, and neither has much figured out. While Hap tries to pay for transactions with his ancient traveler’s checks

otherworldly terrain, these three swap stories, bicker, even sing a wistful Irish ballad or two. They’re such amusing company that it’s not until they reach their destination, an isolated, curiously still and deserted hotel, that we suspect we’ve arrived not at a place of lodging but in the Coens’ simulacrum of the next world. A little John Wayne here, a little John Wayne Gacy there, the brothers’ latest is freaky frontier fun and the definitive riff on how the West was weird. RI C K KI S O N AK

and persists in hitting on women his son’s age, the equally lovelorn Ashley is convinced all the answers are searchable on her phone. The film punctures both their delusions, often with ironic visual contrasts. (When Hap touts himself as runner-up for the local honor of Farmer of the Year, for instance, we see that honor being conferred in a severely underpopulated auditorium.) But there’s no mean-spiritedness in Farmer of the Year and no patronizing jokes about aging. While the pair don’t “learn lessons” from each other in any obvious way, the film has its share of understated poignant moments. Hap is a Midwesterner through and through; the depths of skepticism with which he infuses the interjection “I s’pose” made me feel like my Iowan grandma had returned to life. Yet Vermonters will immediately grasp the stakes of this story in which the old warily approaches the new. Farmer of the Year suggests there’s no right time in life to stop growing. O’Connell and Swanson know something about that: They headed to film school comparatively late in life, after selling their athleticapparel company, VOmax. If this movie is any indication, it’s far from the last we’ll hear from them. Farmer of the Year screens on Thursday, December 6, at 7 p.m. (followed by filmmaker Q&A) and Sunday, December 9, at 3:30 p.m. at Essex Cinemas. Regular admission. MARGO T HARRI S O N

MOVIE CLIPS

T H E A LC H E M I S T P R E S E N T S

Rusty DeWees THE LOGGER & Patrick Ross THE FIDDLER

NEW IN THEATERS MARIA BY CALLAS: Tom Volf’s documentary examines the eventful life of Greek American opera singer Maria Callas through recordings and readings of her own words. With the voices of Fanny Ardant and Joyce DiDonato. (113 min, PG. Palace)

NOW PLAYING BEAUTIFUL BOYHHH1/2 A dad (Steve Carell) struggles to help his meth-addicted son (Timothée Chalamet) in this drama based on the memoirs by David and Nic Scheff, with Maura Tierney and Amy Ryan. Felix van Groeningen (The Broken Circle Breakdown) directed. (120 min, R; reviewed by M.H. 11/14) BOHEMIAN RHAPSODYHH1/2 Rami Malek plays Freddie Mercury in this chronicle of rock band Queen that culminates with the 1985 Live Aid concert. With Lucy Boynton, Ben Hardy, Joseph Mazzello and Mike Myers. Bryan Singer (X-Men: Apocalypse) directed. (134 min, PG-13; reviewed by M.H. 11/7)

HOLIDAY SPECIAL

INSTANT FAMILYHHH A couple (Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne) get more than they bargained for with three newly adopted kids in this comedy from director Sean Anders (Daddy’s Home). With Isabela Moner, Gustavo Quiroz and Octavia Spencer. (119 min, PG-13)

1 large, 1-topping pizza, 12 boneless wings, 2 liter Coke product

$21.99

MID90SHHH1/2 Jonah Hill wrote and directed this drama about a 13-year-old (Sunny Suljic) in 1990s LA who escapes from his troubled home to hang out at the local skate shop. With Katherine Waterston, Lucas Hedges and Na-kel Smith. (84 min, R)

So. Burlington High School 12/07, 12/08 & 12/09 @ 7:30pm

2 large, 1-topping pizzas & 2-liter Coke product

$26.99

Stowe Town Hall 12/27, 12/28**,12/29 &12/30 @ 7:30pm 12/31 @ 7pm & 10 pm **Ladies Who Laugh Musical Review

Plus tax. Pick-up or delivery only. Expires 12/31/18. Limit: 1 offer per customer per day.

Purchase Tickets at thelogger.com, 802-888-8838 or the Door • Veteran’s Discount

BOY ERASEDHHH1/2 A preacher’s son is outed and forced into a gay conversion program in this memoir-based drama directed by Joel Edgerton (The Gift) and starring Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe. (114 min, R; reviewed by R.K. 11/28) CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?HHHHH Melissa McCarthy plays Lee Israel, a best-selling celebrity biographer who turned to forgery when her career went downhill, in this seriocomic biopic directed by Marielle Heller (The Diary of a Teenage Girl). With Richard E. Grant, Dolly Wells and Jane Curtin. (106 min, R; reviewed by R.K. 11/21)

New COMEDY & MUSIC Show Show full of gluten - Zero CBD

THE GRINCHHH1/2 Dr. Seuss’ tale of a green grouch determined to ruin Christmas gets a new animated rendition with the voices of Benedict Cumberbatch, Rashida Jones, Angela Lansbury and Pharrell Williams. Yarrow Cheney (The Secret Life of Pets) and Scott Mosier directed. (90 min, PG)

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Order online! We Cater • Gift Certificates Available

973 Roosevelt Highway, Colchester 655-5550 • Order online! threebrotherspizzavt.com

11/28/1812v-threebrothers112818.indd 1:17 PM 1

11/8/18 3:41 PM

Mid90s

THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMSHH Disney uses the holiday-favorite Tchaikovsky ballet as inspiration for a quest fantasy about a young girl (Mackenzie Foy) seeking a precious gift. With Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren and Keira Knightley as the Sugar Plum Fairy. Lasse Hallström and Joe Johnston directed. (99 min, PG) THE POSSESSION OF HANNAH GRACEHH Who says demonic possession ends when you’re dead? A cop working in a city morgue has to deal with an evil spirit occupying one of the stiffs in this horror ﬂick starring Shay Mitchell and Grey Damon. Diederik Van Rooijen directed. (85 min, R)

Creed II

CREED IIHHH1/2 The Rocky spin-off series continues with the aging boxer (Sylvester Stallone) coaching Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) to ﬁght the spawn of Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). Steven Caple Jr. (The Land) directed. (117 min, PG-13) FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALDHH1/2 Jude Law shows up as a younger version of Professor Dumbledore in the second chapter of this series set in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, with Eddie Redmayne returning as a “magizoologist,” plus Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler and Johnny Depp. David Yates again directed. (134 min, PG-13) FREE SOLOHHHHH This documentary from directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi (Meru) follows Alex Honnold as he attempts to make the ﬁrst-ever free solo climb of Yosemite’s 3,000-foot El Capitan Wall. (100 min, PG-13; reviewed by R.K. 10/24)

ratings

H = refund, please HH = could’ve been worse, but not a lot HHH = has its moments; so-so HHHH = smarter than the average bear HHHHH = as good as it gets RATINGS ASSIGNED TO MOVIES NOT REVIEWED BY RICK KISONAK OR MARGOT HARRISON ARE COURTESY OF METACRITIC.COM, WHICH AVERAGES SCORES GIVEN BY THE COUNTRY’S MOST WIDELY READ MOVIE REVIEWERS.

A PRIVATE WARHHHH Rosamund Pike plays the late war correspondent Marie Colvin in this biopic, also starring Tom Hollander, Jamie Dornan and Stanley Tucci. Matthew Heineman (Cartel Land) directed. (110 min, R) RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNETHHHH In Disney’s sequel to the animated comedy Wreck It Ralph, free-thinking arcade-game characters Ralph and Vanellope have to learn to navigate the online world. With the voices of John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman and Gal Gadot. Phil Johnston and Rich Moore directed. (112 min, PG; reviewed by M.H. 11/28) ROBIN HOODH1/2 This new version of the age-old tale of a renegade nobleman (Taron Egerton) who stole from the rich to give to the poor supposedly “features a ‘hip’ take on the character’s origins.” With Jamie Foxx, Ben Mendelsohn and Eve Hewson. Otto Bathurst (“Peaky Blinders”) directed. (116 min, PG-13) A STAR IS BORNHHHH In this update of the perennial tearjerker, set in the music world, Bradley Cooper (who also directed) plays the alcoholic star on a downward trajectory, and Lady Gaga is the talented nobody whose career he fosters. With Sam Elliott and Dave Chappelle. (135 min, R; reviewed by M.H. 10/10) WIDOWSHHH Left in debt by their late husbands’ unsavory dealings, four women band together in this Chicago-set crime drama from writer-director Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave). With Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki and Liam Neeson. (129 min, R; reviewed by L.B. on 11/21) WILDLIFEHHHHH Actor Paul Dano wrote and directed this adaptation of Richard Ford’s novel about a teen (Ed Oxenbould) watching the marriage of his parents (Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan) disintegrate. (104 min, PG-13; reviewed by R.K. 11/7)

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SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

12/3/18 7:08 PM

movies

LOCALtheaters (*) = NEW THIS WEEK IN VERMONT. (**) = SPECIAL EVENTS. FOR UP-TO-DATE TIMES VISIT SEVENDAYSVT.COM/MOVIES.

CHANNEL 15

VCAM BY THE SLICE TUESDAYS > 4:00 P.M. GET MORE INFO OR WATCH ONLINE AT VERMONTCAM.ORG

Making a Difference

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**Jim Henson’s Holiday Special (Mon only) *Maria by Callas **Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki (‹u only) ‹e Possession of Hannah Grace Ralph Breaks the Internet A Star Is Born **Turner Classic Movies: White Christmas (Sun & Wed only)

12/3/18 6:24 PM

PARAMOUNT TWIN CINEMA

IN THE LIFE OF A CHILD

SEEKING THERAPEUTIC FOSTER PARENTS & RESPITE PROVIDERS FOR VERMONT YOUTH NFI Vermont, Inc. is currently seeking therapeutic respite providers and foster parents to provide a structured, wellsupervised nurturing home for children ages 6 - 18. Teach socially appropriate behavior in a family setting, promote situations that enhance selfesteem and positive life choices and encourage constructive problem solving. Full-Time therapeutic foster parents receive a tax-free stipend of $1950 per month, a team of professionals and 24hour support system. For more information please call Jodie Clarke at 802-363-7578 or jodieclarke@nafi.com

SEVEN DAYS DECEMBER 5-12, 2018

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THE SAVOY THEATER BIG PICTURE THEATER

48 Carroll Rd. (off Route 100), Waitsﬁeld, 496-8994, bigpicturetheater.info

wednesday 5 — tuesday 11 Schedule not available at press time.

BIJOU CINEPLEX 4

Route 100, Morrisville, 888-3293, bijou4.com

11/24/09 1:33:19 PM

friday 7 — wednesday 12 Bohemian Rhapsody Can You Ever Forgive Me? Creed II Fantastic Beasts: ‹e Crimes of Grindelwald (2D & 3D) **Farmer of the Year (Sun only) ‹e Grinch Instant Family ‹e Possession of Hannah Grace Ralph Breaks the Internet

wednesday 5 — thursday 6 Creed II Fantastic Beasts: ‹e Crimes of Grindelwald ‹e Grinch Ralph Breaks the Internet Rest of schedule not available at press time.

CAPITOL SHOWPLACE 93 State St., Montpelier, 229-0343, fgbtheaters.com

wednesday 5 ——thursday 13 Bohemian Rhapsody Creed II Instant Family ‹e Nutcracker and the Four Realms (Wed 5 & Sat & Sun only) Ralph Breaks the Internet A Star Is Born

ESSEX CINEMAS & T-REX THEATER

Bohemian Rhapsody Creed II Fantastic Beasts: ‹e Crimes of Grindelwald (2D & 3D) **Farmer of the Year (‹u only) ‹e Grinch 11/30/18 3:23 PM Instant Family ‹e Possession of Hannah Grace Ralph Breaks the Internet (2D & 3D) Robin Hood Widows

sevendaysvt.com

Fantastic Beasts: ‹e Crimes of Grindelwald ‹e Grinch (2D & 3D)

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

wednesday 5 — thursday 6

Say you saw it in...

wednesday 5 ——thursday 13

21 Essex Way, Suite 300, Essex, 879-6543, essexcinemas.com

NFI Vermont, Inc. 30 Airport Road, So. Burlington, VT 05403

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241 N. Main St., Barre, 479-9621, fgbtheaters.com

MAJESTIC 10

190 Boxwood St. (Maple Tree Place, Taft Corners), Williston, 878-2010, majestic10.com

wednesday 5 — wednesday 12 Bohemian Rhapsody Creed II Fantastic Beasts: ‹e Crimes of Grindelwald ‹e Grinch Instant Family ‹e Nutcracker and the Four Realms Ralph Breaks the Internet Robin Hood A Star Is Born Widows

MARQUIS THEATRE

65 Main St., Middlebury, 388-4841, middleburymarquis.com

wednesday 5 — thursday 6 Fantastic Beasts: ‹e Crimes of Grindelwald Free Solo (Wed only) Ralph Breaks the Internet (‹u only) friday 7 — thursday 13 ‹e Hate U Giv e (Wed only) Instant Family Ralph Breaks the Internet (except Wed)

MERRILL’S ROXY CINEMAS 222 College St., Burlington, 864-3456, merrilltheatres.net

wednesday 5 ——thursday 6 Beautiful Boy Bohemian Rhapsody Boy Erased Can You Ever Forgive Me? Free Solo Mid90s A Private War Wildlife

26 Main St., Montpelier, 229-0598, savoytheater.com

wednesday 5 ——thursday 6 Boy Erased Free Solo Wildlife friday 7 — thursday 13 Can You Ever Forgive Me? Mid90s Wildlife

STOWE CINEMA 3 PLEX

friday 7 — thursday 13

454 Mountain Rd., Stowe, 253-4678, stowecinema.com

Schedule not available at press time.

wednesday 5 — thursday 13

PALACE 9 CINEMAS

Creed II Fantastic Beasts: ‹e Crimes of Grindelwald (2D & 3D) Ralph Breaks the Internet (2D & 3D)

10 Fayette Dr., South Burlington, 864-5610, palace9.com

wednesday 5 ——thursday 6 Bohemian Rhapsody Creed II Fantastic Beasts: ‹e Crimes of Grindelwald ‹e Grinch Instant Family **Mirai (subtitled: Wed only) **National ‹eatre Liv e: Antony and Cleopatra (‹u only) ‹e Possession of Hannah Grace Ralph Breaks the Internet Robin Hood A Star Is Born (Wed only) friday 7 — thursday 13 Bohemian Rhapsody **Buttons: A New Musical (Sat only) Creed II Fantastic Beasts: ‹e Crimes of Grindelwald **George Takei’s Allegiance (Tue only) ‹e Grinch Instant Family

LOOK UP SHOWTIMES ON YOUR PHONE!

SUNSET DRIVE-IN

155 Porters Point Rd., Colchester, 862-1800, sunsetdrivein.com

Closed for the season.

WELDEN THEATRE

104 N. Main St., St. Albans, 527-7888, weldentheatre.com

wednesday 5 — thursday 6 Creed II ‹e Grinch Ralph Breaks the Internet (‹u only) friday 7 — thursday 13 Creed II (except Tue & Wed) ‹e Grinch Instant Family Ralph Breaks the Internet (Fri-Sun only)

GO TO SEVENDAYSVT.COM ON ANY SMARTPHONE FOR FREE, UP-TO-THE-MINUTE MOVIE SHOWTIMES, PLUS NEARBY RESTAURANTS, CLUB DATES, EVENTS AND MORE.

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VERMONTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S RISING STARS

SATURDAY, December 8, at noon