BURLINGTON
BEST OF
sUMMER 2013
L I F E A N D C U LT U R E I N T H E C H A M P L A I N VA L L E Y
VOLUME 6 NO. 3 $4.95
PLAY BALL! Type 1 Diabetes Awareness
Summer Wines
Vermont Farm Table
Fall 2010 / Best of Burlington
1
2
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
Summer 2012 / Best of Burlington
3
4
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
Summer 2012 / Best of Burlington
5
Contents
FE AT U R E S
38 CLaboratory linical Simulation
Fletcher
Allen Health Care goes high tech to save lives. by SARAH ZOBEL
46 Play Ball!
Wiffle ball tournaments raise awareness of type 1 diabetes. by MARK AIKEN
56 Wheel Estate
Looking under the hood of The Automaster empire. by sarah tuff Cover photo by Paul Boisvert
6
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
7
64 11
Editor’s Note
12
Contributors
14
Online Exclusives
16
Gatherings
18
Party Time Summer strawberry favorites.
20
Hot Stuff Hit the beach!
22
Art Scene Davis Studio. by jennifer rose smith
departments
26 Wine Watch Wine picks for summer. by corey burdick
30
Great Ideas Vermont Farm Table. by mark aiken
64 Travel Time Above the Clouds. by dean whitlock
74 What’s Hot Shelburne Meat Market. by tom brandes
30
81 Community Richmond Round Church. by NANCY HUMPHREY CASE
85 Special Advertising Section
52
Summer Must-Dos Shopping and fun things to do in our local Burlington area.
Dining & Entertainment Guide
87 Happenings A calendar of events.
92 Burlington Buzz Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger. by mike morin
8
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
9 Fall 2011 / Best of Burlington
BEST OF
BURLINGTON Coffee Table Publishing, LLC PO Box 1460, Quechee, VT 05059 (802) 295-5295 www.bestofburlingtonvt.com Publishers
Robin Gales John Gales Bob Frisch editor
Deborah Thompson ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Kristy Erickson Copy EDITOR
Elaine Ambrose CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Ellen Klempner-Béguin Art direction/Design
CW Design Solutions, Inc. advertising design
Hutchens Media, LLC web design
Ryan Frisch advertising
Robin Gales John Gales (802) 295-5295 coffeetablepublishing@comcast.net Keep us posted Best of Burlington wants to hear from our readers. Correspondence may be addressed to Letters to the Editor, Best of Burlington, PO Box 1460 Quechee, VT 05059. Or e-mail editor@bestof burlingtonvt.com. Advertising inquires may be made by e-mailing ctpublishing@comcast.net or coffeetable publishing@comcast.net. Best of Burlington is published quarterly by Coffee Table Publishing, LLC ©, 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. Best of Burlington accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, or photographs.
SFI-00665
10 www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
SFI-CS-A-HC
editor’s note
Fun in the Sun It’s time to welcome summer by packing away winter woolens and bringing out your swimsuits, hiking boots, picnic baskets, and coolers. It’s also time to enjoy our summer issue, which is packed full of information and exciting places to visit. Good health is in the forefront this season as we visit Dr. James and the Simulation Lab, a joint venture of Fletcher Allen Health Care and the University of Vermont (page 38). Discover how medical students navigate their way through this important aspect of their training. We’re also taking you to Little Fenway, site of this year’s exciting Wiffle ball Deb with best friend Baylee. tournament to raise awareness and funds for type 1 diabetes (T1D). Join Jeff Kolok, his family, other organizers, and many other people who dedicate their time and effort to help children with this terrible disease (page 46). The focus is on fun during the weekend of June 28 and 29 as teams including the Essex Otters and the Purple Pumpers take the field. Don’t miss the action! Join us as we drop in on some great local businesses. Dustin Glasscoe and the folks at Vermont Farm Table are turning reclaimed lumber into beautiful kitchen tables and more (page 30), the DuBrul family at The Automaster is showing off hundreds of the latest car models (page 56), and Kim Ready and her staff at Shelburne Meat Market are prepared with everything you need for summer barbecues (page 74). From luscious, juicy steaks to chicken, seafood, and all the accompaniments, stop by and tell them we sent you. Don’t forget to check our website often for more stories, news, and events at www. bestofburlingtonvt.com, and be sure to support local businesses. Enjoy!
Deborah Thompson Editor editor@bestofburlingtonvt.com
Note: In the Trend Watch section of the spring issue, landscape architect for projects from Church Hill Landscapes on pages 68 and 74 is H. Keith Wagner Partnership.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/ Best-of-Burlington-Life-and-Culture-in-theChamplain-Valley-Magazine/185081471716
TWITTER: @BurlingtonVTmag
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
11
BEST O F BURLIN GTO N
Contributors Mark Aiken
Corey Burdick
Mark is a frequent contributor to magazines throughout New England. A travel writer who specializes in outdoor living, recreational pursuits, and all topics in between, Mark lives with his wife in Richmond, Vermont. When he’s not writing, he teaches skiing at Stowe, trains for marathons, plays pickup hockey, and plans bigger and better vacations.
Corey is a writer who has spent the past 10 years pursuing her passion for all things food and wine. She is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College who has worked as a fine wine account manager and received her WSET Level 2 certification from the Vermont Wine School. When she isn’t writing or cooking up something delicious with locally sourced foods, you can find her kayaking, running, vintage treasure hunting, or roller skating.
Nancy Humphrey Case
Jack Rowell
Nancy is a contributor for The Christian Science Monitor and has been published in a variety of publications, including Northern Woodlands, Chicago Tribune, Mothering, and Cricket. She enjoys writing about Vermont’s landscape and culture, planning the next project at her home in Hyde Park, and riding her horses in the woods.
A fifth generation Vermonter, Jack was born and raised in central Vermont. He has been a professional photographer for over 35 years, shooting documentary, commercial, and advertising photographs. Jack has had successful one-man exhibitions at Hopkins Center at Dartmouth College, Chandler Gallery in Randolph, Governor’s Reception Area in Montpelier, and the Main Street Museum of Art in White River Junction, Vermont.
Jennifer Rose Smith
Sarah Zobel
Jennifer is a freelance writer, baker, and assistant sugarmaker. She writes about food, travel, and culture, and her work has appeared in Best of Burlington, Vermont Magazine, and Local Banquet. She lives in Burlington.
Sarah writes about health and wellness and parenting for regional and national publications. She lives with her husband and two sons in Essex Junction, Vermont.
12 www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
Winter 2011-2012 / Best of Burlington
13
B ES T O F B U R L I N G T O N O N L I N E
Online Exclusives Only at www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
Pamper Your Pet Be sure your best friend is ready for outdoor weather with our valuable tips.
Great Curb Appeal Is your house the best on the block? Follow our steps to ensuring your home makes a great first impression.
Forecast for Fun Ideas to get kids outside, no matter what the weather.
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com 14 www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
Summer 2012 / Best of Burlington
15
Gatherings ENJOYING EVENTS AROUND TOWN
2
4
1
5
3
6
COTS Walk More than 1,500 walkers and volunteers participated in the 24th Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS) Walk recently. COTS serves the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless in the community. The event aims to elevate awareness and raise money to support services. For more information, call (802) 540-3084 or go online to www.cotsonline.org. 1
Rally Cat, the University of Vermont mascot, greets a young walker. Photo by Becky Holt. 2 COTS Walk is a family-friendly 3-mile journey to visit COTS shelters and services throughout downtown Burlington. Photo by Jenny Hughes. 3 Sambatucada leads the walkers. Photo by Jenny Hughes. 4 Enjoying the music at Battery Park. Photo by Gillian Taylor. 5 Dogs join the fun. Photo by Jenny Hughes. 6 Among this year’s walkers were Brownies from Williston Troop #30164. Photo by Gillian Taylor.
Send photos of your event to editor@bestofburlingtonvt.com. 16 www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
PART Y TIME
summer
STRAWBERRY FAVORITES Strawberry Daiquiri A yummy summer drink even without the rum!
Makes 8 servings 6 cups ice N cup white sugar 4 oz frozen strawberries V cup lime juice K cup lemon juice O cup rum N cup lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage In a blender, combine ice, sugar,s and strawberries. Pour in lime juice, lemon juice, rum, and lemon-lime soda. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.
Frozen Strawberry Margarita
Courtesy of allrecipes.com
Makes 4 servings 6 fluid oz tequila 2 fluid oz triple sec 8 oz frozen sliced strawberries in syrup 4 fluid oz frozen limeade concentrate Fill a blender with ice and crush. Pour in the tequila and triple sec. Add the strawberries and limeade. Blend for 30 seconds or until smooth. Serve in margarita glasses with the rims dipped in powdered sugar. w
18
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
Spring 2013 / Best of Burlington
17
hot stuff
Hit the Beach!
Pack a picnic, load the beach gear into the car, and head out for a day of fun. Here are some of our top picks for the season. 5
1
2
3
6
4
20 www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
1. Pottery Barn’s Dillon Coolers are lightweight and perfect for picnics and car trips. $39–$44. www.potterybarn.com 2. The Women’s Seaside Woven Hat from L.L. Bean provides fashionable full coverage for your face. $29.99. www.llbean.com 3. Who’s that behind those great-looking “Finola” sunglasses from Kate Spade? $158. www.katespade.com 4. A six-foot tilting beach umbrella will offer shade and protection from the elements. $37.90. www.beachmall.com 5. The portable Q 120 Gas Grill from Weber allows you to conveniently grill anytime, anywhere. $179. www.amazon.com 6. For the beach, the park, or your living room, Steven Alan’s Beach Blanket is lightweight and easy to tote. $48. www.stevenalan.com 7. The Sol Lite Folding Beach Chair is lightweight and easily folds for transportation and storage. $31.80. www.outdoorlivingshowroom.com 8. Float around the lake in style and comfort in a Sportsstuff Banana Beach Lounge. $76.97. livewellsports.com
7
8 Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
21
ART SCENE S P O N S O R E D B Y V er m ont ener g y by j enn i f er rose s m i t h
Davis Studio FOSTERING CREATIVITY IN A SUPPORTIVE SPACE With its sunny gallery, paint-spattered rooms, and location in a creative Pine Street neighborhood, the Davis Studio is steeped in art. The studio occupies two buildings housing four studio spaces filled with adult classes, open art sessions, and children’s workshops. Students of all skill levels come to hone their knowledge of everything from fashion design to fused glass and leave with work that is as varied as the artists themselves. One recent morning, artist and educator Debbie CarlandPurdy guided a group of adults through the basics of still-life watercolor painting. They clustered around their subject—a vivid, informal still life of navel oranges and indigo glass— and created paintings that ranged from impressionistic swirls of color to minutely detailed replicas of the bright scene. Next door, a children’s art workshop had an entirely different feel, as students evoked imaginary landscapes on wide paper sheets. Dillon, 5, daubed a few final strokes of emerald green onto his own bright canvas, while two other young artists used theirs as a backdrop for finger puppets. 4
22
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
Clockwise from top left: Young painter inspired by Van Gogh. Artists painting with acrylics. Fused glass jewelry. Beginning adult painting class. Studio manager Lydia Littwin and director Teresa Davis. Selfportrait in clay. Creating personalized flags.
Art Scene is sponsored by Vermont Energy
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
23
Clockwise from right: Folk art summer camp. The gallery classroom. Teen street art and graffiti camp. Mixed media sculpture. Batik on silk fabric. Gallery entrance. Sketching outdoors.
At the same time, studio founder Teresa Davis led a group of adults through an open session for artists with ongoing projects. Student artist Patty Corcoran was seated by several of her works, paintings that she’s created with brilliant acrylic colors. The paint was still wet on one figure of a seated woman, and Corcoran noted that with Teresa’s guidance she’d adjusted the angle of the shoulders several times, seeking a more realistic pose. “She’s got such a good eye,” she said, “and it’s just great to have a space to carve out of my life so I can paint.” Farther down the table, another student worked on a series of painted orangutans, and Davis’s own teenaged son tweaked a portfolio of meticulous fashion drawings.
Intentionally Eclectic If the effect of all that art is a bit eclectic, it’s intentional, according to Teresa Davis. The founder, who describes herself as an artist, educator, and businesswoman, strives for arts education with a constantly evolving curriculum as creative as the artistic process itself. Since founding the Davis Studio in 2003, she has expanded her offerings to include after-school programs, birthday parties, and even art-focused trips to Paris. Davis says that she draws inspiration from her own young students and admires their willingness to try new
24 www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
things. “Surprising yourself is so fulfilling,” she notes. At the Davis Studio, she says, “Creativity is our hub.” A glance through the summer schedule illustrates her varied interests and subject matter. Kids attending weeklong summer camps build tiny dream homes in Tree House Architecture, play with food in the Artsy Chef, or explore the classic work of Georgia O’Keeffe. Teens can explore fashion design or try their hand at street art and graffiti. And because the Davis studio has an in-house gallery, some teenaged artists get a taste of the professional art world as they collaborate with Teresa to put on shows displaying their work. Each year, the gallery devotes its July and August exhibits to teen art produced in the studio’s camps and classes. “It’s kind of a learning gallery,” Davis says,
“a great place to have your first show.” Whether teens are displaying work as a part of a class or have been individually selected, they help with all aspects of setting up and promoting the exhibit, from framing to press releases. And because the Davis Studio participates in the popular First Friday Artwalk, the young artists have the opportunity to greet the public during gallery openings, gaining both exposure and experience. For Davis, the goal of both the gallery and the studio is to create a supportive and inspiring place to foster creativity for artists of all ages. And as the open studio session ended, artist Laurel Neme echoed that sentiment, smiling as she packed away her painted orangutans. “Teresa has a great way of bringing out the best in people,” she said. “They feel safe, connected, and it creates this special environment. It’s the secret sauce.” w
Davis Studio 4 Howard Street Burlington, VT (802) 425-2700 info@davisstudiovt.com www.davisstudiovt.com To visit the gallery, contact the Davis Studio for hours or attend any of the First Friday Art Walks on the first Friday of each month between 5 and 8pm. New Fused Glass Studio opening August 1, 2013.
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
25
Wine Picks for Summer
VERMONT’S MOST A N T I C I PAT E D SEASON
This year, summer in Vermont has been well earned. After a long winter of sipping full-bodied, bone-dry reds, it is at last time to lighten up, pack the picnic basket, and take in a Vermont Symphony Orchestra outdoor concert or simply recline on the back deck. Choosing a wine to pair with whatever seasonal activity you fancy doesn’t have to be frustrating or break the bank. Here you’ll find a trusty guide to a few treasures best paired with the warmth of the season. 4
26 www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
W INE WATC H by COREY BURDICK
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
27
Arca Nova Vinho Verde ($7.99): You really can’t go wrong with Vinho Verde. If you are planning a canopied soiree, wedding shower, or even a brunch, this light, slightly effervescent wine is sure to please even the staunchest beer drinkers in your party. Not only do most of these offerings from Portugal lend crisp, floral elements with hints of citrus and freshly cut grass (Vinho Verde means green grass and refers to both the name of the wine and the region), they are also a great value. Peach Blossom Wine from Charlotte Village Winery ($12): Made with peaches from the Hudson River Valley, this wine consists of chardonnay and peaches, resulting in a smooth blend. Founded in 2001 by William and Colleen Pelkey and their son Will Pelkey, the family initially began by producing blueberry wines, since they had an ample supply on their 10-acre field. In July 2005, they officially opened to the public. Located approximately 15 miles south of Burlington, the drive down Route 7 to Charlotte Village Winery is undoubtedly a gorgeous one. There are numerous spots along the way to stop and enjoy scenic vistas, but once one turns down the side road where the vineyard is located, a transformative experience begins. Silence, calm, nature, and vines articulate the landscape, and suddenly on your right, the small operation appears. Free wine tastings are offered seven days a week from 11am to 5pm Memorial Day through January 1st, and grabbing a glass to sip on their deck overlooking the Adirondacks is an option difficult to resist. Anne Amie Cuvee Midnight Saignee Rosé ($12.99): My love affair with rosé wines isn’t simply about the enticing hue and aromas that whisper of late spring gardens. It’s that they often remind me of biting into a juicy watermelon, even the dry rosés. They are often cultivated in Washington state or Southern France, each offering a slightly different grape variety. The Anne Amie is a rosé from the Willamette Valley of Oregon. This is a region renowned for its pinot noir; therefore, it’s no surprise that this rosé is comprised solely of the thin-skinned grape. Since this wine is fermented in French oak barrels, it has a subtle spice while still maintaining the strawberry and melon notes I so adore. The long, dry finish is a welcome surprise. Kermit Lynch Domaine Dupeuble Beaujolais Rouge ($14.99): Often when people think of Beaujolais, what immediately comes to mind is Beaujolais Nouveau, but this wine made from the Gamay grape has a far greater range of expression than can be tasted in the Nouveau. Kermit Lynch focuses on small production, manual harvests, and natural yeasts, and produces this wine without the use of chemicals or synthetic fertilizers. Attention to these small details makes a difference when 50-to-100-year-old vines are involved. The result is a wine that boasts currant, raspberry, and blueberry notes with a hint of cherry. This wine can be served slightly chilled, which makes it a great choice for people who prefer red but can’t begin to imagine sipping a hearty cabernet in 90-degree heat.
28
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
St. Urbans-Hof Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Kabinett ($22): I have joked for years that if a Riesling has at least 18 syllables, it’s bound to be great. However, through experience, this has generally proven to be true. The Ockfener Bockstein comes in at 19 syllables with the characteristic nose of tropical fruit. Pour this into your glass and it’s as though lily of the valley have somehow quietly sprung up beside you. Hints of almond, apple, and peach round out the floral aromas, and since the Riesling grapes are harvested from a steep hillside slope of slate soils, mineral elements are pleasingly present. Lucien Crochet Le Chene Sancerre ($35.99): Hailing from the Loire region of France, in recent years Sancerre has certainly risen in popularity in the US. The grapes for this wine are picked by hand from 35-year-old vines steeped in a mix of clay and limestone soil. The sharp, pungent, tongue-tingling citrus is intoxicating on both the nose and palate. Open a chilled bottle, enjoy a few sips, then allow it to warm slightly; you’ll be amazed at how beautifully this wine transforms over the course of an evening. Fresh, bright, and glorious local produce gracing farmers’ markets signals it’s time to kick off the wool socks and enjoy the freedom that comes with Sunday afternoons spent lakeside. The recipe below offers a great way to get a head start on summer. w
Basil Blackberry Peach Sipper This quick and easy spritzer epitomizes summer in a glass. It incorporates warm weather fruits and tempting colors that are as lively as your Sunday brunch! The proportions can easily be adjusted to your taste. Into a champagne flute, pour 2 oz of peach liqueur. Add 3 small, chopped basil leaves. Top with 3 oz of Vinho Verde and 1 oz of seltzer. Float a few blackberries on top and garnish the rim of the glass with fresh, local peach slices!
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
29
Vermont
Farm Table KEEPING FURNITURE MAKING LOCAL
When
Jared and Kristen Vincent furnished their home in Shelburne, they wanted the table at the center of their household to be special. “We had some ideas,” says Jared. The Vincents knew the dimensions of their space, but they didn’t know exactly what they wanted. 4
30 www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
Gr e at Id e a s b y M AR K A I K E N PHOTOS by jack rowell
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
31
Top row, from left: Owner Dustin Glasscoe. High-quality kitchen utensils for passionate cooks. Ready-made tabletops and samples of wood available for custom creations are on display. Bottom row, from left: Browsing linens and Farmhouse Pottery made in Vermont. Cutting boards, side tables, and bar stools are available. 2013 Vermont maple syrup.
32
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
They spoke with Dustin Glasscoe, owner of Vermont Farm Table, and visited the business’s retail space on College Street in Burlington. There they saw some beautiful pieces—but still, not quite what they wanted. “Custom orders make up half of our business,” says Glasscoe. He listened, and then he told the Vincents that not only could they select the
kind of wood from which to have their table made—they could also personally choose it. “That interested us,” Kristen says.
The Evolution of an Idea The idea for Vermont Farm Table came to Glasscoe, a self-described entrepreneur (who juggles two other ventures along with Vermont Farm Table), before he ever lived in Vermont. It happened during a period in his life when he was traveling frequently to, of all places, New York City. As he traveled, he thought about friends who had found used farm tables on Craigslist or other online shopping sites. Meanwhile, everyone in the city had mail-order furniture from IKEA and Pottery Barn. “Wouldn’t it be cool,” thought Glasscoe, “to make really awesome furniture using unique, reclaimed, nontoxic materials, to flat-pack it in a mail-order box, and to ship it to New York!” He never actually went anywhere with the idea to flat-pack farm tables, but that was where he started. Meanwhile, Glasscoe knew he wanted to move to Vermont—for one thing, because of his deep interest in the local food movement.4
“ We f o u n d a g r i t t y, laid-back lifestyle here. And n o w Ve r m o n t feels like a warm blanket every time I leave and come back.� Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
33
Clockwise from top left: Handcrafted rolling pins are available in four different species of wood. Creative Woman linens. Dustin explains custom design options for benches to customers. Cutting boards are also crafted by hand. Wooden bowls by local artist Ed Lincoln.
34
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
In fact, Glasscoe, a trained chef, seriously considered opening a restaurant but didn’t when his family discouraged the idea. What kind of business, then, would keep him somewhat (even distantly) connected to food and the kitchen and would allow him to work with the local products that were so important to him? Fast-forward a few months. Glasscoe had moved to Vermont, and his wife was away for the weekend. One of the many hats he wears is that of website designer. Sitting at a computer, he did a key word search on Google for Vermont, farm, and table. The URL, amazingly, was not taken. Glasscoe registered it on the spot, and his idea began to turn into reality.
Function Drives Form Glasscoe never did flat-pack furniture; instead his company went in the opposite direction. “These are crafted pieces, and every one is unique and one-of-a-kind,” Glasscoe says. His standard is that the function of his furniture drives its form. A self-taught woodworker, Glasscoe learned to be handy growing up on a farm and being the son of a custom homebuilder. “I learned about the different qualities of the different kinds of Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
35
Employee Erin Duffee arranges Farmhouse pottery.
wood when I started Vermont Farm Table,” he says. And one of the first things he learned ends up being the first thing that many customers learn too. Often people come to him with a photo of another piece of furniture they like—for example, a wooden table top with a wooden frame. “This doesn’t work with solid wood because wood expands and contracts,” he explains. “Any table with a wooden frame has a veneer top.” Vermont Farm Table isn’t limited to tables; they also make desks, chairs, benches, and stools. And Glasscoe is looking to expand. “We just opened our new state-of-the-art workshop in Bristol, Vermont,” he says, one that will be able to handle his growing business better. Glasscoe reports yearly growth of 80 percent, making his new challenge managing the flow of orders—not a bad problem for a new business to have. By the end of this year, Glasscoe hopes to expand into nonperishable food items and kitchen accessories. “If it’s in-and-around the kitchen, we’ll have it,” he says. Glasscoe envisions a cross between Williams-Sonoma and Pottery Barn, except that everything is made locally in Vermont. 36
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
Furniture with a Story Glasscoe brought Jared and Kristen Vincent to Shelburne Farms, the iconic Webb property and now the supplier of wood for many Vermont Farm Table projects, including reclaimed wood from a dilapidated old silo. The Vincents didn’t use reclaimed wood for their table, however; instead Glasscoe brought them to a barn used as a storage building for wood from trees that came down 50 years ago or more. Famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed the grounds of Shelburne Farms (he also designed the landscape of New York’s Central Park), used both native and nonnative species. “Dustin explained what each kind of wood was and what it would look like as our finished table,” says Kristen. The result, say the Vincents, is a beautifully crafted table using mortise-and-tenon joinery, a rugged construction style that could never be flat-packed and that will last forever. What’s more, the Vincents’ table comes with a story: the story of a couple who walked out to a barn, sifted through piles of old, old wood, and finally settled on pieces of Norwegian maple that grew two miles from their home before being felled over half a century ago. The story continues with a local furniture maker who built the table—a craftsman who is happy with his vocation and where he chose to make his home. “My wife and I knew we wanted to raise our family in Vermont,” Glasscoe says. “We gave up successful careers against better advice.” After four years, his growing furniture business has taken hold. He encourages his employees to live the Vermont Farm Table brand, Glasscoe says, something that comes easily for him. “We found a gritty, laid-back lifestyle here. And now Vermont feels like a warm blanket every time I leave and come back.” w
Vermont Farm Table
206 College Street Burlington, VT (888) 425-8838 www.vermontfarmtable.com Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
37
O
On entering the Clinical Simulation Laboratory in UVM’s Rowell Hall, visitors encounter Harvey, who is coping with myriad heart issues. The good news is, he should be: he’s a cardiopulmonary patient simulator who models some of the many cardiac abnormalities a medical caregiver might encounter, and like all of the lab’s manikins, Harvey is made of rubber, plastic, and circuitry. Medical students and clinicians push a button near his waist, and through a stethoscope they hear the distinct sounds that signal cardiomyopathy or Tetralogy of Fallot—a ventricular hole in an infant’s heart that usually needs to be repaired right after birth—or one of some 30 other heart-related conditions. 4
Right: Vale Palmadottir, MD, left, and UVM medical student Ronald Masson conduct a resuscitation scenario. Center: Drs. Greg Schulte and Amy Savoy (in yellow) lead an exercise on reviving an infant while students assist.
38
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
by sarah zobel P HO T OS b y R a j C h a w l a , U V M M e d P h o t o
Clinical Simulation Laboratory
fletcher allen and UVM go h i g h t e c h t o s av e l i v e s Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington 39
Above: William Raszka, MD, instructs a medical student on venipuncture technique. Center: Tom Peterson, MD, chair of Family Medicine, supervises a central line insertion. Far right: The UVM/ Fletcher Allen Clinical Simulation Lab works with various outside groups to provide high-tech training opportunities, including community first responders and members of the Vermont Air National Guard.
Ted James, MD, associate professor of surgery, attending oncology surgeon, and director of Clinical Simulation, says that not long ago, medical students making hospital rounds would be given a vague description (“you’ll hear this murmur . . .”) of, for example, an aortic stenosis. If they happened to chance upon a patient with the condition, the group would rush en masse to place a dozen stethoscopes on his chest to hear it. Now they’re able to call it up on Harvey, with as many as 10 of them listening at one time through a wireless system, picking up the subtle nuances that distinguish that condition from another.
High-Tech Training The Clinical Simulation Laboratory is a joint effort by the UVM College of Medicine, the UVM College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and Fletcher Allen Health Care. Dr. James, who assumed his role in
40
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
2012, describes it as “the place where the silos disappear, and everyone comes together in this unique space to learn together.” That space includes a virtual reality room; a task trainer room; a debriefing room; a multipurpose room that can serve as emergency room, operating room, or intensive care unit; and mock inpatient rooms. It’s used by medical school students, residents, nurses, and established practitioners. Even housekeeping gets something out of the lab, using the inpatient rooms to train staff on proper cleaning and sterilization techniques. The virtual reality room houses a handful of machines that allow clinicians and medical students to get comfortable with specific skills: laparoscopy, orthopedics, robotic surgery, and endoscopy. Students are encouraged to complete 10 successful procedures on each of the machines, which would entertain—and challenge—any video-game-loving middle
“When it comes to quality and efficiency, as much as the technical skills are important, it’s the communication and the teamwork that make the difference between good and great.” schooler. The endoscopy simulator shows a gastrointestinal tract on its monitor; the challenge is to make it all the way to the end without hitting the walls. Success is gauged by an on-screen face that smiles or frowns accordingly. The robotic surgery machine’s challenges include knot-tying that simulates the tying of a blood vessel. They reinforce the hand-eye coordination that’s needed to perform straight stick
laparoscopy, a minimally invasive form of surgery that relies on a microscopic camera. “It’s about developing dexterity,” says fourth-year medical student Charles Ashley, explaining that surgeons must be able to function in a three-dimensional space that’s visualized in two dimensions on the screen while using tools that can be awkward to manipulate. 4
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
41
A Safe Place to Work Out the Kinks Medical students planning a career in surgery are entered into the Surgery Residency Readiness program (also known as “Sim Lab Boot Camp”), which provides a series of patient care experiences and skills sessions focused of the management of common hospital emergencies. The course was created by Dr. James and several of his colleagues to decrease the anxiety that’s a routine part of the transition to becoming a doctor. Facilitators in the virtual reality room are instructed to create a safe environment so students don’t feel self-conscious about their novice skills. Next door, torsos and body parts line the shelves of the task trainer room, where individuals and teams simulate countless scenarios including ear exams, bladder catheterizations, and IV placements. “How do you really know that you’re doing these things properly without practice?” asks Dr. James. “You can avoid that learning curve in the hospital, and work out the kinks here instead.” The lab’s flagship course is in central-line training. The central line, also known as the central venous catheter, is a tube that’s inserted in a vein in the neck or groin and used to deliver medicines and fluids over an extended period of time; infections associated with it are common and can cause patients to become septic. All residents and critical 42
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
Left: Director of Clinical Simulation Ted James, MD, leads a biopsy clinic in the Simulation Lab. Below: Manos Soultanakis, MD, (left) and Peter Casson, MD, operate a surgical simulator.
care physicians must therefore learn the best way to place the central line so as to minimize the likelihood of infection. That’s been a successful endeavor, says Dr. James; over a 14-month period, FAHC saw infections from central lines drop to zero. That translates to lives saved, illnesses prevented, and some $5 million in cost savings, all from a “simple training program.” Surgical residents receive the central-line training as part of their July boot camp. They also spend time in the multipurpose room— which serves as OR, ER, and ICU—helping Noelle, Hal, and Hal, Junior, give birth, manage a post-operative bleed or pulmonary embolism, and survive a cardiac event. These high-fidelity manikins blink, breathe, sweat, have adjustable blood pressure and heart and respiratory rates, and even speak (with some behind-the-scenes help from facilitators). Residents also practice on humans acting as patients. Dr. James says students value the course, as indicated on postboot-camp surveys. “No one wants to do a bad job, and everyone’s worried about that,” he says. “So to be able to go through and see what you know and gain confidence in the areas you know, to show what you don’t know so you can learn it now and not make mistakes when you get to actual patient care is a huge advantage.” That confidence is reinforced in one of several debriefing rooms, where participants sit down with faculty and facilitators to go over audio and video footage of the procedures they’ve completed and talk about ways to improve. 4
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
43
Sometimes that translates to a discussion of how to work more efficiently, but other times, it’s more about the dynamics within the team, including showing respect on all sides. “When it comes to quality and efficiency,” Dr. James says, “as much as the technical skills are important, it’s the communication and the teamwork that make the difference between good and great.” There’s been a concerted effort to move toward interprofessional education in the lab, and Dr. James encourages teams of doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, and others to take part in the trainings together so as to best simulate real-life scenarios.
Beyond the Lab Walls Dr. James and his colleagues have been engaged in outreach beyond the walls of UVM and FAHC, as well as coming up with ideas for using the manikins with nonmedical personnel. In the future, Dr. James plans to work with schools on a program to show the consequences of texting while driving, and he will work with humanitarian organizations to develop a training program to teach doctors, police officers, and others to recognize victims of human trafficking. Facilitators are also taking the simulations on the road through the “Simbulance,” a fully functioning ambulance that travels to other hospitals with, for example, a manikin as a gunshot victim riding in the back. As at FAHC, the Simbulance allows ER units a chance to assess their own practices. Teams from other hospitals have visited the lab for training, and the Director of Operations and Simulation Education, Dr. Cate Nicholas, and others have traveled to other hospitals to provide training. Facilitators have worked with the Vermont National Guard to provide training in trauma and combat casualty care. And Dr. James is looking into unusual circumstances within the medical system that are outside the operating and emergency rooms, such as how efficient the hospital’s response system would be if someone had a seizure in the FAHC cafeteria. At this point, he says, every medical specialty has something to gain from the lab. “There used to be the saying ‘see one, do one, teach one,’” he says, “but the real idea should be ‘train, reach proficiency, and then go out to the patients.’ We’re trying to change the paradigm through simulation.” w 44
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
45
wiffle ball tournaments raise awareness of type 1 diabetes (T1D)
JackTYPECarney 1 DIABETES
approaches the batter’s box. Glancing at the opposing pitcher and then at the Green Monster under the giant CITGO sign in left field, he steps up to the plate, determined to swing for the fences. 4
The Essex Otters bat against the Capital Kitchenators. Photo by Paul Boisvert.
46 www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
AB E 1 DI P Y T
E T ES
by mark aiken
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington 47
Top row: The Purple Pumpers display their distinctive socks. Photo by WaterBoy Pictures. Umpire Larry Riegert calls balls and strikes. Photo by Paul Boisvert. Center row: Eli Ashley pitches for Eli’s Crusaders. Photo by Paul Boisvert. Face painting is part of the fun. Photo by Paul Boisvert. Opening ceremonies include the national anthem. Photo by WaterBoy Pictures. Gregg Walsh dashes to third base while dodging shortstop Jeff Ortakales. Photo by Paul Boisvert. Bottom row: A Momentum Maulers player tries to score on the Jericho Juveniles. Photo by Paul Boisvert. Championship game between Green Mountain Bombers and Essex Otters had everyone jumping. Photo by WaterBoy Pictures.
Carney does not play for the Boston Red Sox, nor does this scene refer to Boston’s hallowed Fenway Park. Rather, Carney, 13, who will be in eighth grade at Essex Middle School, plays Wiffle ball for the Purple Pumpers. Once again, this summer will find him at the third annual SLAMDiabetes Vermont Summer Classic on June 28 and 29 held at Little Fenway and Little Wrigley—miniature replicas of their larger counterparts (and every bit as special) —in Essex, Vermont. “Wiffle ball has nothing at all to do with type 1 diabetes (T1D),” says Jeff Kolok, cofounder with his wife Natalie of SLAMDiabetes and the tournament. “It”s more about raising awareness through the fun of the games.”
48
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
Living with T1D Like most people, until his daughter Johanna’s diagnosis, Kolok didn’t know much about type 1 diabetes (T1D). “There are lots of misconceptions and confusion about T1D,” he says. T1D is not a lifestyle disease. T1D is a lethal autoimmune disease in which the pancreas’s ability to produce insulin is destroyed. Insulin is the hormone that enables the body’s cells to absorb glucose. T1D diagnoses usually occur in young people (it was formerly known as juvenile diabetes). People with T1D manage their disease with insulin shots or pumps and tens of thousands of needle-prick blood tests—and through constant attention and management. “It requires a 24-hour-per-day, 365-days-per-year regimen for life,” says Kolok. Johanna’s diagnosis at age 4 was life changing. The Koloks were surprised by the dearth of information and support for families facing the challenge. As they began to get a handle on what a life with T1D looked and felt like, they also began to look for ways to help others with T1D— but not before adopting Nicholas, another child with T1D. They started by establishing the website www.ParentingDiabeticKids. com. Kolok, a former rugby player, tried to contribute by writing blog entries. “It wasn’t me,” he says. “I was too angry.” As the Koloks participated
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
49
in various fundraising efforts like Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s (JDRF) Walk for a Cure, they dreamed up a moniker that better fit Jeff’s feelings: SLAMDiabetes. He was helping to promote former Boston Celtic Ray Allen’s 3-for-3 campaign, which raised money and awareness for T1D, when he became aware of Pat O’Connor’s Little Fenway and Little Wrigley Wiffle ball fields in Essex. After seeing a tournaments, Natalie prodded Jeff to organize one to raise funds and awareness for T1D.
Swinging for the Fences While Jeff Kolok tried to figure out ways to support families with T1D, Pat O’Connor tried to figure out what to do with his backyard field in Essex. After cutting back the grass, some friends helped him construct a wall—the Green Monster. He had been hosting charity Wiffle ball tournaments for years (most notably the Travis Roy Foundation’s tournament supporting those with spinal injuries) when Kolok approached him. The first SLAMDiabetes Wiffle ball tournament was held in 2011 on Little Fenway and Little Wrigley in O’Connor’s yard. While Little Fenway boasts the Green Monster, a brick (or at least a brick pattern painted on plywood) fence surrounds the outfield of Little Wrigley. That first tournament raised $24,000 and left Kolok happy but determined to grow. “I thought to myself, ‘There are so many more people to reach in this country,’” Kolok says. So he built two modular Wiffle ball stadiums 50
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
that fit in trucks and took his show on the road, holding three tournaments in 2012. In addition to the Vermont Summer Classic (still at O’Connor’s site), he held tournaments in Worcester and New Bedford, Massachusetts, and Providence, Rhode Island. The SLAMDiabetes tournaments raised about $110,000, which went toward various public awareness campaigns and organizations such as the Barton Center for Diabetes, Ray Allen’s Ray of Hope Foundation, JDRF, and Camp Surefire, among others. A significant emphasis is placed on encouraging and enabling kids to attend summer camp programs. “T1D camps are expensive,” says Kolok, explaining that the medical support required for these kinds of programs costs money. “But they can make a real difference.”
All About the Fun Jack Carney has participated in both of the Vermont tournaments, and he’ll be there again this year. His team, consisting of his dad, his brother, some friends, and his wrestling coaches from Essex Middle School, where he’s a three-season athlete, is there for the fun. Jack also has type 1 diabetes. “The people on this team care about him,” says Nikki Carney, Jack’s mom. “And because of him, they can relate to what it’s like to have to deal with the disease.” Besides fun, says Nikki, the tournament becomes an opportunity to raise awareness. “But what Jack’s coaches and the other members of this team
do is to tell people Jack’s story.” Meanwhile, she sponsored a “Wear Jeans” day at Fletcher Allen Healthcare (which raised $500) where she works. Not to be outdone, her youngest son, Jack’s brother, held a cake raffle at school, which brought in $600. In all, Team Purple Pumpers (named for Jack’s first insulin pump) raised $3,000. Krista Jones also organized a team for the 2011 Vermont Summer Classic. “We were captured by Jeff Kolok’s energy,” she says. In 2012, she volunteered to help organize the 2012 Classic. This year, she is balancing her full-time job with organizing no fewer than seven SLAMDiabetes tournaments, which are expanding to Boston and Tampa, Florida.
Far left: Tyler Warren of the Essex Otters was the MVP of the 2012 Summer Classic. Photo by Paul Boisvert. Left: Close play at first during the championship game. Photo by WaterBoy Pictures. Below: Capital Kitchenators player slides into second base as a Purple Pumper jumps aside. Photo by Paul Boisvert.
In addition to helping organize team captains and to support them in their fundraising, she is involved with organizing permitting, vendors, umpires, tents, and infrastructure at all the locations. “And my own team,” she says. Oh yes—Team Perfect Pitch will be at Little Fenway this summer. Nikki Carney loves the tournament because of its dual purpose. “It raises awareness,” she says. “People don’t understand the management and details these kids have to go through in order to live their lives.” Secondly, it’s fun. With food vendors, real umpires, ESPN commentators, and plenty of fanfare and pageantry, a SLAMDiabetes Wiffle ball tournament is a festive scene open to the public. Grab your lawn chairs and head out to Little Fenway for hot dogs, lemonade, and a fun weekend of competitive Wiffle ball. w
This year’s tournament is set for June 28 & 29. For More Information
www.SLAMDiabetes.com www.LittleFenway.com
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
51
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Summer
Must-Dos
Shopping & fun things to do in our local Burlington area! Lake Champlain Ferries Three ferry crossings on Lake Champlain: * Grand Isle, VT to Plattsburgh, NY: Open 24 hours daily * Burlington, VT to Port Kent: Open mid June to September 29 * Charlotte, VT to Essex, NY: Open all year, ice conditions permitting Public cruises and private charters available during the summer season. Visit www.ferries.com for more information. 1 King Street Burlington, VT (802) 864-9804 www.ferries.com
Salaam & The Men’s Store A savvy boutique on Church Street Marketplace featuring our own locally made Salaam line as well as a fantastic selection of clothing, jewelry, and accessories for men and women by your favorite brands such as Desigual, Lucky, and Ben Sherman. 90 Church Street Burlington, VT (802) 658-8822 www.salaamclothing.com
Cheese Traders & Wine Sellers Discover thousands of wines (Vermont’s largest selection), more than 150 local and international cheeses, discount gourmet products, and delicious made-in-Vermont specialties at bargain prices. We find the deals, you enjoy the savings! There’s only one Cheese Traders in the world—come treat yourself. 1186 Williston Road South Burlington, VT (802) 863-0143 www.cheesetraders.com Open daily 10am–7pm
Vermont Furniture Designs VFD is a small, high-quality furniture manufacturer using age-old techniques. We have supplied national furniture stores with their highest quality solid hardwood furniture for over 40 years. Our factory in Winooski has a large showroom and Factory Store, where you can purchase our furniture and have it delivered into your home anywhere in the US. 4 Tigan Street Winooski, VT (802) 655-6568 www.vermontfurnituredesigns.com
52
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery
Petra Cliffs
For more than 20 years, FS Gallery has been a destination for discerning art lovers seeking the finest in original art, museum-quality custom framing, and restoration services. We also offer an eclectic and affordable selection of handmade and fair trade crafts and gifts. Local shopping made easy!
Petra Cliffs Climbing Center and Mountaineering School focuses on climbing and mountain-related education and recreation, accessible to all ages and abilities. We offer premium instruction and services through experience-based education in an inspiring atmosphere for families and friends to gather for a challenge and fun. Petra Cliffs is also home to an indoor ropes course for birthday parties, teams, and groups.
86 Falls Road Shelburne, VT (802) 985-3848 www.fsgallery.com
105 Briggs Street Burlington, VT (802) 657-3872 www.petracliffs.com
Jamie Two Coats A magical place in the heart of Shelburne Village filled to the brim with your favorite things! Beautiful dolls, wonderful wooden toys, fun dress up, creative art supplies, Lego, Playmobil, and Bruder trucks. A great place to pick up that last-minute party or birthday gift. 54 Falls Road Shelburne, VT (802) 985-3221 Mon–Sat 10am–6pm; Sun 11am–5pm
ECCO Clothes ECCO, Burlington’s original designer boutique, has been dressing Vermonters in top brands for over 20 years! From denim to dresses, flip-flops to stilettos, ECCO has it all! Premium denim lines like J Brand, AG, Paige, and Citizens of Humanity, separates by Velvet, Vince, Ella Moss, and Splendid, basics by James Perse and Michael Stars, dresses by Susana Monaco, BCBG, and Aidan Mattox, shoes from Steve Madden, Seychelles, and Vince Camuto, handbags by Liebeskind, Hobo, and Linea Pelle. From basic to anything but, ECCO has you covered. Visit ECCO on the corner of Church Street and Bank Street in the heart of Burlington. 81 Church Street Burlington, VT (802) 860-2220 www.eccoclothesboutique.com
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
53
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Morse Farm Mason Brothers Offering a wide selection of reclaimed and antique building materials, Mason Brothers’ Architectural Salvage Warehouse’s 13,000-square-foot warehouse is filled with fireplace mantels, stained and beveled-glass windows, lighting, hardware, columns and pillars, marble and pedestal sinks, claw-foot tubs, windows, furniture, and unique artifacts. 11 Maple Street Essex Junction, VT (802) 879-4221 www.greatsalvage.com
Looking to ship a piece of Vermont to loved ones far and wide? Maple Kettle Corn from Morse Farm is available in three sizes, so while you’re picking up a large four-quart bag to send to family, pick up a small bag for yourself. Visit www. morsefarm.com to pick just the perfect size bag of maple kettle corn you need. They’ll handle everything, including shipping. Look for Maple Kettle Corn at fairs and festivals throughout the area this summer! The Morse family have been maple sugar makers since 1782. A Vermont tradition! (800) 242-2740 www.morsefarm.com
Shelburne Vineyard Winery and Tasting Room
We hope you’ll visit with us for a taste and tour of the winery and to learn about our adventure growing grapes and making wine in northern Vermont. Stay a while to enjoy a glass of your favorite wine on our canopied patio overlooking the vineyard. Check our website or visit Shelburne Vineyard on Facebook to learn about concerts and events, and don’t forget to ask about planning your special event here! 6308 Shelburne Road Shelburne, VT (802) 985-8222 www.shelburnevineyard.com Open daily 11am–6pm, May–October; 11am–5pm November–April
Stella Mae Warm weather is upon us and it’s time to freshen those wardrobes. Located on the Church Street Marketplace, Stella Mae carries a carefully selected shoe, clothing, and accessory collection. Brands include Frye, Sam Edelman, Coclico, Donald Pliner, Jeffrey Campbell, Alternative, Dolce Vita, and Chaser. We also offer an online experience at stella-mae.com. 96 Church Street Burlington, VT (802) 864-2800 stella-mae.com
54
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
Vermont Farm Table Shop locally this summer! Vermont Farm Table offers a wide variety of unique household items handcrafted here in Vermont. Whether you’re looking for something big or small, we can help you find the right gift for everyone on your list. Gift certificates available. 206 College Street Burlington, VT (888) 425-8838 www.vermontfarmtable.com
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
55
Wheel Estate LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD OF THE AUTOMASTER EMPIRE by SARAH TUFF PHOTOS BY PAUL BOISVERT
56
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
If you question the “master” in Shelburne’s Automaster, well then, you don’t know Jack. Jack DuBrul, that is, the 79-yearold founder, CEO, and chairman of the dealership dynasty that rolled into town in 1962 as a repair shop and has since grown to a BMW, Mercedes Benz, Mini, and Honda Dealer with some 125 employees and 39,000 repair orders each year.
An automotive aficionado, scuba diver, parachutist, and commercial pilot with 5,612 hours of flying planes, helicopters, balloons, and gliders, DuBrul knows transportation. He’s been honored by Sports Illustrated, Time Magazine, and Champlain College, among others. His three sons have become masters in their own right. Steele handles BMW, Mini, and Honda; John handles Mercedes Benz; and Kyle handles all the pre-owned vehicles. So you know that whether you want to cruise around Chittenden County in a new convertible Mini this summer, or your Benz needs a bath before a big summer wedding, you’ve parked in the right place.
Everything Automotive, Plus a Full Suit of Armor “This is not your typical repair shop,” explains General Manager/Director Dale Fillion during a tour of the 36-acre Automaster campus and, specifically, the BMW service area where Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Who’ll Stop the Rain” plays in a sparkling-clean series of stalls for a dozen SUVs, wagons, and sedans. “It’s all state-of-the-art machinery, state-ofthe-art floors, lighting, and computer systems.” Nor is it a typical waiting room for those whose cars are being serviced or are meeting with a sales advisor; there’s a fireplace,
Top left: Mercedes Benz 550 SL interior. Top: A lineup of new Honda CRVs. Above: Mini of Burlington staff will be happy to show you any of the 50 varieties and colors in stock. Inset: The DuBruls: John III, Kyle, father Jack, and Steele.
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
57
touchscreen TVs, and even a piano. But the real attraction, the one that makes car enthusiasts happy to wait for an oil change, is the on-site museum packed with artifacts from the DuBrul family’s love affair with everything automotive. A Salsbury scooter. A 1972 Honda 600 Coupe. A 1957 BMW Isetta 300. A Vermont Teddy Bear riding a Harley surrounded by miniature cars, motorcycles, a full suit of armor (more on that later), and memorabilia from DuBrul’s first balloon crossing of Lake Champlain. Admits Fillion, “There’s a lot of things to look at!” That includes a long, wood-paneled hallway covered with hundreds of awards for the DuBruls and their employees, who tend to stick around. 4
Top left: Mercedes Benz sales team. Center top and middle rows: Dedicated employees provide excellent customer service. Far right: Items in the museum include a knight in shining armor and a handcrafted figure in a hot air balloon. Above: Honda sales and finance and insurance team. Right: Trophy case, Harley-Davidson jukebox, and many other items are on display for customers‘ viewing pleasure.
58
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
“
The real attraction, the one that makes car enthusiasts happy to wait for an oil change, is the on-site museum packed with artifacts from the DuBrul family’s love affair with everything automotive.
”
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
59
Above: Welcome to the Mini showroom. Right: The Automaster’s Parts Department is famous for outstanding service.
“
If driving such effortless, complicated can be
Fillion’s been there for 40 years; nine others, he says, have notched 30-plus years, while many more have surpassed 20 years. “We like to promote from within,” he says, adding how extensive the training is to service the hightech vehicles from BMW and Mercedes Benz. If driving such cars can feel effortless, working on their complicated electronics can be challenging. “If we have four different cars, we have four different ways to handle them,” says Fillion. “To get elected to work on these cars is no easy task,” says 60
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
cars can feel working on their electronics challenging.
�
Fillion, adding that Automaster has four vans shuttling customers around, every hour on the hour, which also keeps things busy. (The busiest time of year, he adds, is spring, when snow tires come off, cars are dirty and in need of spa service, and drivers are often ready for a new ride.) For the dedicated longtime staff members, beyond the pride of working at Automaster and potential for promotion, there are other perks too, including a walking path down to Lake Champlain for picnics. 4 Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
61
Keeping Up with the Community Now there will be even more green space for Automaster’s team and customers, thanks to the new 13-acre lot that the dealership recently purchased at the site of the long-shuttered Harbor Hideaway. (The knickknack-filled restaurant was the provenance of the Automaster museum’s knight in armor.) The added space means more parking, lined with landscaped islands and walking paths. “We want to keep with the Shelburne image,” says Fillion. “That’s why we have a wooden sign, not a lot of lights. We don’t want to look like a big city.” The Automaster keeps up with the community in additional ways, such as supporting the Center for Technology at Essex High School, sponsoring a new playground at Shelburne Beach, donating more than 1,000 helmets to Burlington kids, and contributing to numerous other northern Vermont organizations. Awareness of the Automaster has brought in a steady stream of potential new-car owners seeking some of the most popular models right now—Honda Accord and CRV; BMW 3 series, X3, and X1; Mercedes Benz ML-class and 300 series. Then there are the Minis. “That’s one big fun time!” says Fillion with a laugh. “Just walking into the building is fun; they’re like M&M’s.” As the dealership has grown and changed over the decades, beginning with Rambler—Audi, Delorean, Ferrari, Isuzu, Infiniti, Land Rover, and Porsche have all been part of the fleet at one time, while new showrooms have sprouted—the Automaster’s commitment to its reputation remains constant, unchanging. “We’re trying to grow with the towns,” says Fillion. “It’s important for us to maintain relationships with the community—because we’re not going anywhere.” w
The Automaster
3328 Shelburne Road Shelburne, VT (802) 985-8411 www.theautomaster.com
62
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
63
Journey
A
for
Two Lifetimes
T H E S E C O N D G E N E R AT I O N B L A Z E S N E W T R A I L S
R
Steve Conlon on trek in East Nepal, contemplating Kangchenjunga (28,169 feet), the world’s third-tallest peak.
64 www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
TR AVEL TIME by DEAN WHITLOCK PHOTOS COURTESY OF A b ove the C louds
This story, like most great adventures, starts with a journey—the first of hundreds. In 1972, photographer Steve Conlon visited Nepal to trek the famous Himalaya and meet its people. He returned several times—once for more than five years—became fluent in the language and married Muna Gurung. When he and Muna came to the United States in 1982, with their first child due any day, Steve’s parents urged him to find a more settled career. He met them halfway by founding Above the Clouds, one of the first adventure travel agencies in the country. That was only the beginning of the journey. 4
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
65
Thirty-plus years on, the Conlon family is still helping others to follow in their footsteps, on trails being blazed by the second generation of avid travelers. Steve and Muna’s daughter, Lisa Kumari Conlon, joined the staff in 2007, and last year she became the COO, while Steve began a gradual transition to a semi-retirement centered on his photography. Befitting a family with travel in its genes, Lisa is already exploring new directions. What won’t change is the passion behind every step they take.
As Much About Cultures as Mountains From its very first adventures, Above the Clouds has been just as much about the people and cultures it visits as the mountains and trails. Yes, they will take you trekking through the Himalaya in Nepal and Bhutan, but you can also visit tiger reserves in India, ranches in Patagonia, ancient fortresses and monasteries, busy markets, and isolated villages never noticed by other tours. And you will travel with guides who are personal friends of the Conlons and have been working with them for decades—guides who introduce you to their families, invite you to dinner at their homes, and provide a personal glimpse into their culture that you can’t get any other way. Above the Clouds offers “standard” itineraries to their select destinations, but most of their clients— 66
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
R
Left center: Looming Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. As the fort looks out over the city, it’s hard to imagine what it must have felt like to be an invading army. Above: Punakha Dzong in Punakha, Bhutan. The architecture in Bhutan is both unique and spectacular. Bottom, from far left: Lisa looking out over the border between Nepal and Tibet in Mustang, Nepal. The Black Hat Dancers during a festival in Paro, Bhutan. Rooftop camping in Tsarang, Mustang, Nepal.
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
67
R
Above: View from the Above the Clouds home office in Hinesburg, Vermont. Right: The Conlon family on trek, 1992. Lisa is 27 and has been trekking in the Himalaya for over 20 years.
about 80 percent, in fact—choose a custom tour with special departure dates, a limited group, and helicopter tours or side trips even farther off the road less taken. “Our trips are not for everyone,” Lisa explains. “They’re for people looking to dig beneath the surface of the destination.” Their alumni agree, as testified in the Above the Clouds blog: “Perhaps the best . . . was the ability to meet local people and have a meaningful connection with them that remains after our trip has concluded. We are in regular e-mail contact with four people from these countries. Each guide was outstanding and gave us an understanding of the local history, art, and culture. They also focused on what we wanted to learn and do, and they did it taking our rhythm into consideration. . . . We met people with varied backgrounds and had an opportunity to see a segment of India that it would not have been possible to see with a group.” (Richard and Dorothy Dorsay.) 4 68
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
69
Born with Itchy Feet Lisa Conlon inherited her father’s “itchy feet” and has lived a life that only made the itch hotter. She celebrated her second birthday at her grandparents’ farm in Nepal, which you could reach only on foot. She walked her first trek at age five and has since trekked in Nepal, Bhutan, Norway, France, Italy, Peru, and Patagonia. She majored in political science and South Asian history at UVM, considering a career in international politics, but she spent the year after graduation touring, guiding, and “just bumming around.” She realized she couldn’t imagine a life that didn’t have travel and trekking at its center. 70
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
R
Above: UVM Summer Nepal Class 2012 pauses for a group photo in Mustang, Nepal. Left: Masks and kids in Thimphu, Bhutan.
“Our clients are the dreamers of our day. They share our belief that there are parts of the world that touch your soul, that have the capacity to change you.”
Exploring New Ground And not just travel for travel’s sake. She is the happy child of an intercultural marriage, with an inevitably global perspective that she is already applying at Above the Clouds. Ideas for new trips are beginning to surface—exploring the connection between yoga, meditation, and trekking, for example. She has also dug into her academic background, partnering with her UVM advisor, professor of South Asian history Abigail McGowan, to offer a summer class in the remote area of Nepal called the Kingdom of Mustang. “The class focuses on how really remote areas of the globe experience rapid integration Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
71
when something like a new road is introduced, and what that does to the environment, cultural preservation, and the impact of globalization on the area. It’s been great—we started the second class in May of this year!” Lisa is already looking for a second school to partner with and exploring ways to expand the concept to non-students. Creating the class, she explains, taught her how much she is fascinated by finding ways to “share the parts of the world that I love through a lens that I believe in.” “It was one of the first passion projects I came up with,” she says, “and ever since, I’ve really seen the difference that passion makes. I love what I do, the places I get to go, and the people that we get to work and interact with. I am very thankful for the global view that I got from my parents. I feel privileged to have had that early exposure to the world and excited to now be in a position to share that knowledge and love of travel with fellow adventurers.”
Dream Merchants That difference in approach to travel and culture is the essence of what Above the Clouds does. Steve Conlon described their job to his daughter as “dream merchants.” And she believes it. “Our clients are the dreamers of our day,” she says. “They share our belief that there are parts of the world that touch your soul, that have the capacity to change you. It’s our job to share some of the magic that has kept us connected to these parts of the world.” Perhaps this blog post by traveler Jane Lang says it best: “I look back at the pictures I took and I reread my journal entries . . . and I still cannot believe I did it. I DID IT!” w
Above the Clouds
P.O. Box 388 Hinesburg, VT (800) 233-4499 www.aboveclouds.com 72
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
73
Shelburne
Meat
Market A cut
above
Kim Ready’s dream was always to be part of a family business, but she never dreamed it would be the meat business. The owner of Shelburne Meat Market, with locations in Shelburne and Williston, Vermont, as well as Edgartown Meat & Fish Market in Edgartown, Massachusetts, on Martha’s Vineyard, Ready couldn’t be happier with her choice of work. 4
The staff at Shelburne Meat Market is always ready to help you.
74
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
W H AT ’ S H OT by TOM BRANDES P H O T O S BY P A U L B O I S V E R T
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington 75
“Growing up, we visited high-end steak houses in Washington, DC, New York City, and Boston, and I wanted that kind of meat available to us in Vermont,” says Ready. “It’s amazing and a lot of fun to see the stores so busy and full of young kids working with meat and seafood every day.” Ready is passionate about offering the best and freshest meat and seafood available, as well as Vermont cheeses; house-made hot, sweet, and maple sausage; sauces and rubs; fresh produce; fine oils and vinegars; and a large selection of fine wines. Combining all that great food with outstanding customer service is a winning recipe for success.
Prime Beef, Excellent Service Meat markets follow the concept that was around when Ready was young, but that all but disappeared when people began shopping at big supermarkets. People came back to meat markets because of product quality and great customer service. Most of the beef Ready sells comes from the Midwest because of the climate there for raising USDA prime beef, which is the highest grade. 76
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
Only 2 percent of all US beef is certified prime grade, and Ready’s beef is grass fed with a corn finish and richly marbled for wonderful flavor. The markets also sell choice grade cuts, an excellent, less expensive option for everyday grilling. Because most of the prime beef produced goes to the big steakhouses, finding the right supplier, working with the right farms, and building relationships were among the biggest challenges Ready faced starting out. Now, the biggest challenge is finding enough people with passion who want to work hard. “Saying goodbye to those who leave to start their own dream business or go on to their own careers is very tough,” says Ready. “It’s a collaborative effort, and one of the keys to our success was getting the right people in place, and the right product. People know they’re getting the freshest and the best meat in the area.”
All in the Family True to her dream of a family business, Ready’s son Sean runs the Edgartown store, and her son Rex opened the Williston store but now is a biochemist living in Boston. On the weekends
Besides meats, the store also stocks produce, beer and wine, steak rubs, and barbecue sauces. Drew MacKinnon holds an organic salmon from Scotland. Tim Carpenter shows off freshly marinated house steak tips, a customer favorite.
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
77
Rex travels to Martha’s Vineyard to help Sean. Nephew Alexander Green has worked in all three stores, and Ready’s sister, Susan Green, works at the Williston store. Ready has 60 mostly part-time employees staffing the three stores during the summer and over the holidays when things are at their busiest. Specialties include prime cuts of meat and fresh New England-caught seafood that goes right from the docks to the stores. Other meat markets don’t emphasize marinades, and Ready saw this as something new to the area. She works with a spice company that works closely with a chemist to develop 78
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
Clockwise from left: Shelburne manager Chris Allard holds a tray of filet mignon steaks. Williston manager Travis Hunt holds freshly caught swordfish. Owner Kim Ready with Guinness Harley, Chris Allard, and Tim Carpenter.
incredible marinades including Cajun, jerk, teriyaki, Fat Boys Molasses BBQ, Key West, cilantro-lime, and more that tenderize and flavor meats. Other specialties include dry-aged beef that is placed in a drying house with a delicate balance of temperature and humidity for 15, 30, or 45 days to provide a richer, more robust flavor. For many local children, asking their parents to prepare house steak tips for their birthday dinners is becoming a tradition. The Edgartown Meat & Fish Market is one of only three locations in the United States that has a stand-alone Starbucks store. Employees make bagels, kabobs, and sandwiches to augment the meat and seafood business. Many Vermont residents have summer homes on the Vineyard, and they let Ready know how her son is doing. And when she arrives on the Vineyard every three weeks or so, her son promptly puts her to work. 4 Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
79
A Growing Business Excellent customer service is the rule; employees wear shirts and ties, and they know customers by their first names. Customers can watch their meat being cut, and special requests are no problem. On the Vineyard, a delivery service delivers orders to the docks to supply yachts, and employees go to extraordinary lengths to satisfy customers. “Once, two guys on bikes arrived at the Edgartown store and bought enough food for a clambake for 25 people. They couldn’t carry it all on their bikes, so my son Sean tossed them the keys to his new Jeep and said, ‘Have fun.’ Ten minutes later a friend of his called and said, ‘I think someone stole your Jeep. They’re taking pictures with it near the beach,’” laughs Ready. The meat industry is growing, and Ready plans to open more stores. She gets calls every month from people around the country asking her to open a store near them. “Life should be fun, and this is fun. I love coming to work every day— and I mean every day,” says Ready. “It’s an incredible business and I’m lucky to be in it. I think I was born for this business, but I never thought I’d be in this business.” w Kim shares her secret for how to grill the perfect steak online at www.bestofburlingtonvt.com.
Shelburne Meat Market
2989 Shelburne Road Shelburne, VT (802) 985-1145
Second location: Shelburne Meat Market at Williston 40 Taft Corners Williston, VT (802) 878-0084 www.shelburnemeatmarket.com
80
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
COMMUNIT Y by NANCY HUMPHREY CASE
Souza’s Churrascaria Get ready for something different!
ty
Richmond Round CHURCH C E L E B R AT I N G 200 YEARS OF COMMUNITY
Walk into the Round Church on a knoll in Richmond’s village, and you will know why it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1996. The 16-sided, timber-framed structure built in 1813—the only one of its kind still standing in New England—has an aura about it that is difficult to identify. 4
A 1930s summer gathering, probably the Round Church Pilgrimage. Photo courtesy of the Vermont Historical Society Archives.
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
81
Although the church has not been used for regular worship services since 1886, it retains something sacred. The simple, bare beauty of the Federal-style architecture, the balanced light coming from all sides through old, wavy glass, and the way the congregation sits in a near-circle all give the historic building a
82
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
unique quality you might call all-inclusive grace. It’s easy to see why the Richmond community has put so much into preserving this architectural treasure for 200 years and is celebrating its bicentennial this year with a series of concerts and other events, including two concerts on the Round Church Green (see sidebar). “Community” has been a theme of the Round Church from its inception. As early as 1796 there were efforts in the town to designate a suitable place for a “meetinghouse,” but people could not agree on the decision, so the effort stalled. Finally, in 1812, two adjoining landowners—Isaac Gleason and Thomas Whitcomb—donated the land, stipulating that, “should each of the several denominations in this Town become builders and proprietors of said House, that Each shall peaceably enjoy if requested their equal share of said house.” Sixty-eight leading citizens of Richmond, representing five Protestant denominations, raised $3,080 to cover the cost of the building by subscribing to buy box pews in the church. Other citizens donated their labor to help construct the church. In his dedicatory
Clockwise from far left: Recent photo of autumn snow by Julie McGowan. Aerial photo by Jerry Trudell. The church circa 1900. Courtesy of Glenn Skillin. Bell tower photo by Meredith Schuft. Wedding photo by Todd Stoilov. Bottom left: A view circa 1900. Courtesy of Linda Andrews.
Upcoming Bicentennial Celebration Concerts June 28 Classical Music Night with ty Susan Summerfield, Laura Markowitz, and John Dunlop at the Old Round Church, 7pm. July 26 Stars of the Future: Youth solo performers at the Old Round Church, 7pm. August 9 Street party on the Round Church Green: Community Band at 6pm; country rock music with Phil ’n The Blanks at 7pm. August 10
sermon, Rev. Daniel Haskel, who would later become president of the University of Vermont, praised the people of Richmond who “being greatly divided in their religious opinions, deserve credit for the harmony and spirit with which they have undertaken and completed the building.”
So Why the Round Design? The man chosen to act as contractor for the project was William Rhodes, a Richmond carpenter and blacksmith who had built a number of homes and covered bridges in the area. As it happened, Rhodes’s parents lived in Claremont, New Hampshire, where a half-round extension
had been added to the town’s rectangular meetinghouse in 1807. Rhodes may have seen a similar structure in Concord, the Granite State’s capital, and decided to take the multisided design to full circle. Tradition speculates the purpose of the round design was to keep the devil from hiding in the corners or to preclude enemies on the outside from hiding just around the corner. Whatever the reason, the circular pattern enables those sitting in the simple wooden pews to feel surrounded by community. No one knows the building better than Gary Bressor, a Richmond resident who remembers his mother scrubbing down
Music on the Round Church Green: Longford Row, Calloway Taxi, Burlington Irish, and others. All day, beginning at 11am. August 11 Annual Pilgrimage 10am Closing Ceremony 2pm These bicentennial concerts are open to the public with a suggested donation of $5. Proceeds go to the Round Church Bicentennial Fund. For more information, please e-mail rhs@richmondroundchurch.com.
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
83
special advertising section
Summer 2013 Dining Guide Great places to eat locally in and around Burlington.
El Cortijo A vibrant atmosphere featuring tacos, soups, salads, and entrées prepared with local ingredients and expressed as traditional Mexican fare. Freshsqueezed margaritas and handcrafted cocktails. Late night menu until 1am, Fridays & Saturdays. $-$$ 189 Bank Street Burlington, VT (802) 497-1668 CortijoVT.com
The Farmhouse Tap & Grill Dedicated to showcasing local farms and food producers, our menu features award-winning burgers, comfort entrées, artisan cheeses, vegetarian options, and nightly innovations. The Tap Room delivers highly prized and rare beers. “Special Happenin’s” Wed. nights. $$ 160 Bank Street Burlington, VT (802) 859-0888 www.farmhousetg.com
Guild and Company
Key to Symbols $ most entrées under $10 $$ most entrées $10 to $25 $$$ most entrées over $25
Farm-to-table steakhouse featuring dryaged, locally sourced beef grilled over Vermont hardwood. Classic steakhouse entrees, seafood and vegetarian options, an innovative cocktail program, and lighter fare, such as burgers & sandwiches for a more casual dining experience. $$$ 1633 Williston Road South Burlington, VT (802) 497-1207 guildandcompany.com
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
85
special advertising section
Beyond the Menu
dining guide for burlington and the surrounding area
J Morgan’s Steakhouse Vermont’s cutting-edge steakhouse featuring over 20 steaks aged and hand cut in-house, 12 daily seafood dishes, and award-winning Sunday Brunch. Located on Montpelier’s historic State Street. $$ 100 State Street Montpelier, VT (802) 223-5222 jmorganssteakhouse.com
Leunig’s Bistro Burlington’s best bistro for over 30 years. Serving local food with a worldly accent. Every meal provides the panache of Paris and the value of Vermont, right in the center of town. Lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. $–$$ Between Church and College Streets Burlington, VT (802) 863-3759 www.leunigsbistro.com
Pauline’s Cafe
Step out and Discover Burlington!
Ray’s Seafood
Chef owned, featuring American cuisine, from casual to fine dining, local and wild food, and our famous crab cakes! Open seven days for lunch and dinner. Private dining rooms. Lunch, dinner. Sunday brunch. $–$$
Family owned and operated fish market and restaurant offering fresh seafood, sit-down service, and takeout menu. Seafood and land lovers specials, including daily specials. Call ahead for your order. $–$$
1834 Shelburne Road S. Burlington, VT (802) 862-1081 www.paulinescafe.com
49 North Street Burlington, VT (802) 658-7928 www.raysseafoodmarket.com
86 www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
The Spot Enjoy our surf-style ambience and delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner entrees. Conveniently located on Shelburne Road in Burlington. Free parking, free Wi-Fi. $–$$ 210 Shelburne Road Burlington, VT (802) 540-1778 www.thespotvt.com
Happenings
SUMMER 2013
Calendar of Events
FLYNN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 153 Main Street Burlington, VT Tickets: (802) 863-5966 Info: (802) 652-4500 www.flynncenter.org June 18
Film: Love Free or Die FlynnSpace, 7pm June 19
Stand-Up Comedy Performance FlynnSpace, 7pm
December 2 June 20
Stand Up, Sit Down & Laugh FlynnSpace, 7:30pm June 21
Tommy Emmanuel MainStage, 8pm June 22
Clark Russell Gallery Exhibit Amy E. Tarrant Gallery, 11am June 24
An Evening with Melissa Etheridge MainStage, 8pm
Through September 2
Bigger Than T-Rex
Skeletons of Giganotosaurus, Mapusaurus, and more carnivorous dinosaurs, some of them larger than the legendary T-Rex. Hands-on dig pit, video of actual dinosaur excavation, and animatronic raptors round out this exciting and crowd-pleasing exhibition.
June 27
Jazzismo FlynnSpace, 7:30pm June 29
4
SPANK! The Fifty Shades Parody MainStage, 8pm
ECHO LAKE AQUARIUM AND SCIENCE CENTER/ LEAHY CENTER FOR LAKE CHAMPLAIN 1 College Street, Burlington, VT (877) ECHOFUN, www.echovermont.org
18–21
Shrek the Musical FlynnSpace, 18 & 21, 2pm; 19 & 20, 2 & 7pm August 1–4
Into the Woods FlynnSpace, 1, 7pm; 2 & 3, 2 & 7pm; 4, 2pm August 6
Buddy Guy MainStage, 8pm
June 19
June 26
Wacky Wednesday: Dino Egg Drop Contest
Wacky Wednesday: Building Dino Nests
Using provided materials, build a safe egg container for the drop off our deck at 1pm. 12:30pm
Using provided natural materials, build a mini dinosaur nest. Participants will tell their dinosaur tales at 1pm. Activities to engage the brain, move the body, and create contraptions. Appropriate for ages 8+. 12:30pm
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington 87
HAPPENINGS July 23, 24, 25 & August 10
SHELBURNE FARMS
Burlington Ensemble—A Benefit Concert for Vermont FEED
1611 Harbor Road Shelburne, VT (802) 985–8442 www.shelburnefarms.org Hours: 9am–5:30pm daily
Picnicking at 5:30pm, concert starts at 7:30pm July 25
Bats on the Farm
June 19
7:30–9pm
Photography Basics Workshop: Session 1
4
Info & registration: (802) 985-8686, jpenca@shelburnefarms.org 6–9pm
Photography Basics Workshop: Session 2 Info & registration: (802) 985-8686, jpenca@shelburnefarms.org 6–9pm
July 10 & August 14
July 4
July 10
July 31–August 2
Sun to Cheese Tour
Summer Institute on Education for Sustainability
2–4pm
July 6
Great American Gardens: Historic, Personal & Visionary from the 19th to the 21st Century
Tour Two Great Country Houses: The Brick House and Shelburne House
11:30–2pm
Info & registration: (802) 985-3346, ext. 3368, kmccray@shelburnemuseum.org 1–4pm
July 13
Shore Explore
5pm for picnicking, concert starts at 7:30pm.
Green Mountain Draft Horse Field Day Demonstrations of traditional farming methods and a chance to admire the Percherons, Clydesdales, Shires, Belgians, and other breeds, as well as oxen and mini horses. 11am–2pm
June 26
Vermont Symphony Orchestra
July 27
Info & registration: (802) 985-8686, jpenca@shelburnefarms.org, 8:30am–4:30pm
4
9am–4pm July 21
July 8–12
Vermont Cheesemakers Festival
Exploring the Ecology of Leadership, Learning, and Change
Spend a high-summer day along the shores of Lake Champlain at the historic Shelburne Farms Coach Barn sampling, buying, learning, and networking. Info & tickets: www.vtcheesefest.com 11am–4pm
Visit www.shelburnefarms.org to download the application form.
VERMONT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA TD Bank 2013 Summer Festival Tour Join the VSO on tour to the most beautiful outdoor locations in Vermont. Each performance concludes with a magnificent fireworks display accompanying Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. Gates open at 5:30pm for picnicking; concerts begin at 7:30pm. June 27
• M ountain Top Inn, Chittenden June 28
• l ocation to be announced June 29
• T hree Stallion Inn, Randolph
88
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
July 2
• H unter Fairgrounds, Manchester July 3
• G rafton Ponds, Grafton July 4
• S helburne Farms, Shelburne July 5
• S uicide Six Ski Area, South Pomfret July 6
• l ocation to be announced July 7
• T rapp Family Lodge Concert
4
Meadow, Stowe Please check the VSO website at www.vso.org or call (800) VSO-9293, ext. 10 for additional information.
August 4
17th Annual Vermont Fresh Network Forum Registration: (802) 434-2000 5–9pm August 15
Farmers’ Dinner on Sheep’s Knoll 6–8pm August 17
Moonlit Campfire Enjoy sitting around a campfire on a warm summer evening with fun activities, s’mores, and a visit from a live owl. 7–9pm August 19–23
Lake Champlain 5-Day Intensive Watercolor Workshop: In Partnership with Shelburne Craft School Info & registration: (802) 985-8686, jpenca@ shelburnefarms.org 9am–4pm
Vermont Shakespeare Company Shakespeare in the Park: The Winter’s Tale August 8–10 & 16–17, 6pm August 11 & 18, 4pm
Oakledge Park, Burlington August 15, 6pm
Knight Point State Park, North Hero Both venues: Open lawn seating, bring blanket/ chair Tickets: 86‐flynn, flynntix.org. Tickets also available at the door. Info: (877) 874-1911, www.vermontshakespeare.org
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington 89
the church every spring and who started working on the building at age 15, reglazing and replacing windowpanes. He went on to earn a degree in historic preservation from UVM and has been actively involved with the preservation of the church ever since. On a recent tour, Gary pointed out the hefty interior columns shaped on a giant lathe from single tree trunks, the pine floorboards up to 27 inches wide, and the interior’s 32 sides (twice as many as the exterior), diminishing the window trim and giving the walls a thinner feeling. In the stillness of the empty balcony, surrounded by views of tree limbs and not-too-distant hills, Gary pauses in his story of the church and his connection to it. “You sit here long enough, and you begin to fall in love with it,” he says quietly.
A Community Icon A gathering place for town meetings and voting until 1973 when a fire marshal pronounced the building unsafe, the Round Church has served many community functions over the years, including an annual worship service called “The Pilgrimage,” Christmas carol sings, and concerts. Now completely restored, it also hosts about 25 weddings per year and has become an icon inextricably bound with the town’s identity. “It represents the community spirit of Richmond,” says Fran Thomas, president of the Richmond Historical Society. Fran’s husband worked for IBM, and the couple moved to Richmond in 1974, thinking IBM would move them again before long. But when her husband was offered a position at another location, he turned it down. “We chose not to move because we loved the Richmond community,” Fran says, adding the spirit of the Round Church is a big part of the community feeling in town. “There’s no place like it.” She loves the story of its origins—how the various denominations worked together to build it. A booklet published by the Richmond Historical Society for the church’s bicentennial points out that it “provides continuity in a fast-changing world.” As one local 10-yearold put it, “It reminds me that Richmond has been here for a very long time.” w 84
www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
Other Noteworthy Summer Events June 22–24
Native American Encampment Info: www.lcmm.org Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, 10am–5pm June 23
Paddle to Prehistory Info: www.lcmm.org Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, 10am–5pm June 27
Native American Crafts: Two-Row Wampum Bracelet Info: www.lcmm.org Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, 9:30am–12:30pm
June 22
Exhibit: Wyeth Vertigo
June 29
Native American Crafts: Introduction to Twining Info: www.lcmm.org Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, 10am–4pm July 4
Burlington Independence Day Celebration Waterfront Park, 5–11pm
Info: (802) 985-3346, www.shelburnemseum.org Shelburne Museum
Andrew Wyeth, Soaring, 1942–1950, Tempera on Masonite, 48 x 87 inches. Shelburne Museum, ©Andrew Wyeth. Photograph by J. David Bohl.
July 4
July 6 & August 24–25
Independence Day
Basic Bladesmithing
Info: www.lcmm.org Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, 10am–5pm
Info: www.lcmm.org Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, 9:30am–4:30pm
GET CONNECTED Get listed on the bestofburlingtonvt.com BUSINESS DIRECTORY and you will also be included on our printed list in every issue of Best of Burlington (see page 14).
GET CONNECTED NOW! E-mail Robin Gales at ctpublishing@comcast.net, or call Robin at (802) 295–5295. Find out how you can connect with our readers. It’s easy, inexpensive, and another way to reach an affluent and educated audience.
subscribe Share the wonder of our beautiful area and the latest news all year long with a Best of Burlington gift subscription. Friends and family who have moved away from the area will be especially appreciative. Be sure to order a subscription for yourself, too! Send a check for $19.95 for one year (4 issues) to Best of Burlington, PO Box 1460, Quechee, VT 05059. Or conveniently pay online using PayPal at www.bestofburlingtonvt.com.
90 www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
July 13
All Hands on Deck—Annual LCMM Fundraiser Info: www.lcmm.org Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, 4:30–7:30pm July 13–14
Bronze Casting 101 Info: www.lcmm.org Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, 9:30am–4:30pm July 13–14 & 26–29
Basic Blacksmithing Workshop Info: www.lcmm.org Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, 9:30am–4:30pm July 18
Cardboard Box Parade Church Street Marketplace July 19–20
Vermont Brewers Festival Info & tickets: vtbrewfest.com Burlington’s Waterfront, 12pm July 20–21
Teen Basic Blacksmithing Info: www.lcmm.org Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, 9:30am–4:30pm August 2–4
Festival of Fools Featuring the best international street performers from around the globe. Church Street Marketplace August 3–4
Blacksmithing Projects: 2 Day Info: www.lcmm.org Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, 9:30am–4:30pm August 4
Lake Champlain Dragon Boat Festival Waterfront Park, 5pm August 7–9
Church Street Marketplace & Downtown Sidewalk Sale Church Street Marketplace and Burlington Town Center August 10–11
Teen Advanced Blacksmithing Projects Info: www.lcmm.org Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, 9:30am–4:30pm August 15–18
Lake Champlain Maritime Festival Waterfront, 5pm August 18
Exhibit: Color, Pattern, Whimsy, Scale: The Best of Shelburne Museum Exhibit opens in conjunction with the opening of the new Center for Art and Education. Info: www.shelburnemuseum.org
Summer 2013 / Best of Burlington
91
BURLINGTON BUZZ BY MIKE MORIN
Meet
Mayor Miro Weinberger You spent a week at Burlington High School recently. What did you learn? I look back on my Week in School at Burlington High School as the most inspiring and optimistic week of my first year as mayor. I experienced ninth-grade teachers collaborating and stretching themselves to create a new kind of classroom fit for our evolving world; I saw the careful work our School Resource Officers do to keep our children safe; and I ate lunch daily in the most ethnically diverse room in Vermont—the BHS cafeteria. Social studies teacher Dov Stucker captured the reality of BHS today, saying, “This is where democracy happens.” Burlington prides itself on being greener than most cities. How will the recent Smarter City grants help? Burlington was fortunate and honored to be one of 100 cities around the world (and the smallest US city) to receive an IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grant based on IBM’s recognition and belief in our city’s strong vision for a sustainable energy future. The Smarter Cities team focused its time in Burlington on creating a strategic plan to economically reduce greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors, including energy, heating, and transportation, by leveraging the city’s recent smart grid 92 www.bestofburlingtonvt.com
SHAYNE LYNN PHOTOGRAPHY
T H E C I T Y ‘ s e n e r g etic new leader
investments; the long-standing political will of the city, the state, and Burlington institutions; and ongoing energy efficiency and renewable energy resource development efforts. How have city decision-makers brought Burlington back from the brink of the financial cliff? We closed on the Fiscal Stability Bond, an initiative supported by 72 percent of the voters and nearly every city councilor, which has moved us away from the financial brink by reducing the city’s reliance on short-term borrowing. Together, we completed a similarly successful effort at the airport, stabilizing the fragile finances of a
critical institution that had seen its credit rating degraded to junk-bond status. How do you, your wife Stacy, and daughter Li Lin like to spend family time together? I love my job serving the amazing people who make up our Burlington community. The demands of the job require tremendous love and support from my wife, Stacy, and my daughter, Li Lin. We work hard to have family dinners together as often as possible. During the winter we make as many family trips to Bolton Valley to ski as we can, and during baseball season my Vermont Senior Baseball League games are often a fun family afternoon. w
Coffee Table Publishing, LLC P.O. Box 1460 Quechee, VT 05059
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 59 Hanover, NH