Jan 9-15, 2008
Vermonters Catch the Spirit at Three Micro-Churches; Vermont Politicians Flog a News Blog; Food of the Future; The Bobbin Sew Bar – Bee There or Be Square
Appreciate Your Woman
Last night, on my way to the Treetop Condos, two female friends in the back seat of the taxi: So, Ken walks through the door, you know he was on that Boston trip, and I’m, like, Oh, honey, I’m so glad to see you, and he’s, like, Yeah, me too, and he gives me this…
Gael Greene’s Predictions For 2008
If you keep up on what’s happening in the world of food, you’re sure to love this list of funny predictions by the “Insatiable” Gael Greene, who served as New York Magazine’s food critic for over 30 years, is known for wearing really big hats, and famously slept with Elvis and Clint Eastwood (not at…
Neal Pollack: A Funny Food Blogger
I read a wide variety of food blogs each day thanks to Google Reader, and while I discover lots of amazing recipes and fun foodie facts, there are very few writers who make me laugh aloud. In fact, only one has done so in my recent memory: Neal Pollack of Epi Log, the blog on…
“Janet” & Jean
In the “Hackie” column of 12/26 entitled, “A Poetess Blossoms,” I wrote about my friendship with a customer I called “Janet.” I described her as an elderly resident of a Shelburne senior living community, and a sublime poet. All of that stuff about Janet is true. (As I’ve said elsewhere when asked if the “Hackie”…
Sendak’s Chicken Soup With Rice
Maurice Sendak is probably best known for Where the Wild Things Are. But as a youngster, I had a much deeper affection for a miniature set of Sendak books called “The Nutshell Library.” Of the four tiny books, my favorites were Pierre: A Cautionary Tale in Five Chapters and a Prologue and the yummy Chicken…
![VT Fancy Felines [SIV61]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sevendaysvt.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/cat_show_suzette_dolly.webp?resize=200%2C150&ssl=1)
VT Fancy Felines [SIV61]
1/5/08: Once a year, VT Fancy Felines cat show takes over the Sheraton Burlington Hotel & Conference Center. Parades of well-cared for Balinese, Burmese, Exotics, Maine Coons, Persians, Russian Blues, Siamese, and Sphynxcompete for ribbons and titles. Why do attendees love their cats so much? Spending hours brushing and grooming them, breeding them over and…
Food Stuff on Boing Boing
Wanna know how to make your own vanilla extract or read about what might be included in a “vegetarian survival kit?” You can find these interesting tidbits and more on Boing Boing, the website that catalogs “neat stuff,” for lack of a better descriptor. Neat like what? Neat like a guide to making cookies that…
Go Tell it on the (Green) Mountain
Vermonters catch the spirit at three micro-churches
News Quirks
Curses, Foiled Again Two men tried to carjack a vehicle at gunpoint in Reno, Nev., but the driver grabbed the gun, causing it to fire in the air. Both suspects ran off. The Reno-Gazette journal reported that a police officer responding to the scene spotted one of them and chased him into a building and…
Free Will Astrology
January 17-23 ARIES (March 21-April 19): “My calling hasn’t called yet,” wrote Rennie, an Aries reader from Austin. “Please, Rob, say a prayer to all the applicable gods and angels, asking them to do whatever it takes to make sure that I am at home when it finally does.” I’ve got good news for Rennie.…
Crumbs
Side Dishes: Crescent Dragonwagon, Crystal Maderia, Kismet, Bruegger’s Bagel Bakery
The Good War
Game On: “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare”, $59.99 for Xbox 360, PS3, $49.99 for PC, M for Mature
Scene@ Vermont Fancy Felines Cat Show
Sheraton Hotel, South Burlington, Saturday, January 5, 2 P.M.
Heat Seeker
Work: William Davenport, Masonry Heater Builder, Turtlerock Heat, Burlington
In and Outside the Box
Art Review: Jennifer Koch, “Specimen & Marriages of Reason,” box constructions, multimedia works and prints. Firehouse Gallery, Burlington. Through January 26.
The Doldrums
It’s slow out there. The first two weeks of the new year are quiet for cabdrivers. It’s the same every year so I don’t fight it. Why work twice as hard for half the pay? I’m all about striking while the iron is hot, along with its converse: Lolling around while the iron is cool.…
Food in the AFIs Top 100 Films (part 1)
My sweetie and I are watching the AFIs top 100 Films in order from 100 to 1, even the ones we’ve seen before. We are taking the occasional break for lighter fare such as the first season of Heroes. Because I’m constantly on the lookout for interesting foodie tidbits, I thought it would be fun…
Toolin’ Around With Wine
Today I discovered that Marilyn Manson isn’t the only rock star with a line of alcoholic beverages (Mansinthe absinthe, in his case). Maynard James Keenan of Tool and A Perfect Circle owns an Arizona vineyard called Caduceus. He also has a blog on Winespectator.com. Preliminary research didn’t turn up much on whether or not people…
Bacon Chocolate, Mmm!
Even though I enjoyed a creamy serving of bacon-laced vanilla ice cream at Shelburne Farms’ “Whole Pig” dinner last year, I’d never dreamed of a pork-flavored chocolate bar. That is, until I received a “Mo’s Bacon Bar” as a gift at the Seven Days holiday party. Who makes this unusual confection, which is a combination…
![Drums & Dragons Parade [SIV60]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sevendaysvt.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/episode60.webp?resize=400%2C300&ssl=1)
Drums & Dragons Parade [SIV60]
12/31/07: New Year’s Eve in downtown Burlington and First Night was in full swing. Colorful dragons, life size puppets, an AT-AT walker (All Terrain Armored Transport from Star Wars), The Junkman and his posse of junk-playing kids, Burlington Taiko and Sambatucada paraded down Church St to the delight of onlookers young and old. Happy New…
Montpelier Winter Farmers’ Market
Today I had the pleasure of stopping by Montpelier’s Winter Farmers’ Market. What on earth do farmers and other food producers sell during the winter? A plethora of root vegetables, tubers and squash, artisan cheeses, all kinds of natural and organic meats, wool, pickles, jam, and more. The crowded market was in one of the…
Sinclair-Ford
The first week of January marks the return of the Middlebury College students. Middlebury’s academic calendar is odd, perhaps unique. (Go a’googling if you really need to know.) Every January, the students attend a one-month “J-Term,” which is sandwiched between the two conventional 4-month semesters. For J-Term, a single morning class is required, allowing for…
Free Will Astrology
January 3-9 ARIES (March 21-April 19): Do you know what an expansion joint is? No, it’s not slang for a marijuana cigarette you smoke in hopes of enlarging your worldview. Rather, it’s an architectural term referring to the flexible sections that are built into a bridge or brick wall. These ensure that the structure can…
Recipe: Quick Borscht
Since the first year that I signed up for a winter CSA share, I’ve been experimenting with borscht; the Eastern European, beet-based soup. It’s a great, tasty way to use up a variety of hearty root vegetables. Making borscht completely from scratch takes a while, since it involves making beef stock, this is a quick…
New Year’s News
New Year’s Eve Day (there’s got to be a better handle) is a full day for me, to say the least. I did two appearances at First Night Burlington. After the second show, I rushed home, ripped off the good clothes, flung on my normal cabbie duds and hit the streets for the busiest night…
Breakfast is Important…
My CSA share includes lots of local grains. So far I’ve received popcorn on the cob, rolled oats, whole wheat flour, oat flour, cornmeal and mixed cracked grains (wheat, barley, rye, oat and flax), and in such generous quantities that I’m having trouble using it all up. Clearly I need to start making copious quantities…
Culinary Resolutions
For a bunch of years I eschewed making New Year’s resolutions because everybody else was doin’ it. But recently I’ve gotten on board with the idea that, at least for a few days in early January, I can be idealistic. Here are my food-related resolutions for the year… I will: ~ Blog every day. Yep,…
