• Best lunch location ***especially this one!
  Best Restaurant, if you’re paying (high quality food, affordable prices).
• Best restaurant to take the kids
• Best vegetarian fare
• Best breakfast / brunch location

Wanna vote? Here’s the link: www.surveymonkey.com/s/daysies11-sm. Think we really are the best in any of those categories (or others)? Well…we sure would appreciate your support. THANK YOU!

This series will be anchored by an old-timey session every week featuring Katie Trautz, Kathleen Moore & Tom Mackenzie from 4 – 6 pm. Everyone is welcomed to listen, intermediates on up are invited to join in! As soon as the weather will allow, we’ll move the music outside to our patio & a second rotating gig will be scheduled from 6 – 8 pm!

Along with this weekly music session, the Montpelier mini-Skinny’s hours will be expanding to 8 pm on Sunday nights!

Burlington Green Drinks is next Tuesday!

As always, Green Drinks is on the last Tuesday of the month (03.29.11) from 6 – 8 pm in the Main St Landing’s Lake Lobby. As always, the first 125 pints of delicious Wolaver’s Organic Ales are bought by our wonderful sponsors.

This month’s sponsor is 1% for the Planet (www.onepercentfortheplanet.org/en/).

Below is a bit about them…but first, here are THREE great reasons to come to Green Drinks this month (other than the beer & the people):

1. Pirogi Union will be hockin’ their delicious wares. Learn more about Burlington’s only pirogi-genius here.
2. Jenn O’Connor of Sustainable Wellness Massage will be giving FREE MASSAGES during Green Drinks. Learn more about Jenn’s business here.
3. 1% for the Planet will be showing a 15 minute film at the end of Green Drinks: “a beautiful documentary follows 4 businesses — a bike shop, a musician, a brewery, and an organic blueberry farmer — that share a unique commitment to the planet. Each year, they send 1% of their sales to the environmental charities they love.”

A bit about our sponsor: “1% for the Planet is a growing global movement of 1419 companies that donate 1% of their sales to a network of 2423 environmental organizations worldwide.” Their mission: “1% for the Planet exists to build and support an alliance of businesses financially committed to creating a healthy planet.”

And here’s what they say in the about us section of their website: ”To be perfectly honest, it’s not about us. It’s about businesses recognizing that industry and ecology are inherently connected. It’s about realizing the positive effects of connecting businesses, consumers and nonprofits through philanthropy. And it’s about understanding that the true cost of doing business can be mitigated by a simple pledge to the planet. Since 2002, 1% for the Planet has inspired members of the business community to contribute 1% of sales to environmental groups around the world. In return, this growing alliance of companies is given the opportunity not only to see their self-worth rise, but their net worth climb as well.”

A deep and sincere thanks to our sustaining sponsors:

BTV YPG Burlington Young Professionals is celebrating it’s 1^st Anniversary on April 6^th at 156 Bistro: It’s been one year of our existence…come celebrate BTV YPG Year 1 at 156 Bistro on April 6! Music, food, beverages, mysterious guest speaker, and 100 young professionals kicking it semi-formal style. Tickets are $20 and includes all the food you can eat and a drink. $5 ypg specials after. Help us reach our goal of 100 pounds of food items for the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf! More info here.

Green Drinks Burlington loves Seven Days (www.7dvt.com). Seven Days brings you the Daily 7 – Vermont’s top stories, delivered to your inbox.  Get the day’s most compelling stories across all media – print, radio, TV and web.  Sign up today: http://www.7dvt.com/daily7

Wolaver’s Organic Ales (www.ottercreekbrewing.com/wolavers.html) helps keep Green Drinks going in a big way. For the uninformed, Wolaver’s is: “One of the nation’s original certified organic breweries, Wolaver’s is committed to producing the best beer in the most ecologically sound way.”

Front Porch Forum goes out to 15,000 ppl in the area daily including more than 40% of Burlington! If you’re not already getting it, sign up today! Learn more about our community’s groundbreaking, remarkable & innovative resource Front Porch Forum at frontporchforum.com/about/.

Message of the month from The Main Street Landing Company:
“Although it looks to most of us as if our World is falling apart:  Japan, nuclear meltdowns, earthquakes, tsunami’s, poverty, climate change, slow economic growth, high unemployment, increased gasoline prices, wars, corporate greed, ….and the list goes on and on and on – That said, Vermont is in a really great place:   We have land, mountains, clean air, fresh water, local food, terrific non-profits,  good schools and colleges, great hospitals, companies with social responsibility in their mission, a strong arts community, and a thriving business climate.  We don’t have political division between our parties, and our folks know how to work together for the betterment of Vermont. Vermont is in a good place, folks, and that’s because of all of us doing our best to help make people, planet, and profit prosper.    Keep up the good work and never stop fighting for what’s right – your voice is your power.” -Melinda Moulton, CEO

Miso Brazen (Montpelier): Red Miso Braised Greenfield Highland Beef Brisket with roasted Shitake mushrooms and pickled shallots wrapped in a scallion crepe.  Served with a side of organic greens. $11.95

The Purple Yak (Burlington): Champlain Valley Apple and Spiced VT Yak Co Sausage, Purple Turnip Gratin with Cabot Cheddar, Organic Sautéed Cabbage, and Winding Brook Farm Bacon Lardon wrapped in a Savory Crepe then garnished with scallions and Mushroom Ketchup. $11.95
Two extra special food notes:

This is the last week for our winter long $25 prix fixe dinner for two (two soups or salads, two entree crepes, one dessert crepe). If you’ve enjoyed it and want to get your ‘fixe’, come on down Sunday – Wednesday in Burlington & Sunday – Thursday in Montpelier. Available starting at 5 pm.

On Wednesday, April 6th, the Burlington SP will be hosting a Wine Dinner featuring California’s Russian River Valley Winery, Hook & Ladder. Wine maker & owner Michael Deloach will be there. He will be talking throughout the wine dinner to guests about both the complimenting flavors, the wines and his product. Mark your calendars now…menu to follow next week!

It’s growing! We have had TEN submissions, all of which will be posted on our website by April 1^st. At that time, we invite & encourage you to vote for your favorite project. The project with the most votes at the end of the month will win the $500 grant!!!

What’s a crop mob? It’s a work party on a farm helping out on a big project while enjoying each other’s company and getting to hang out with a really cool farmer! Adam, who grows us great blueberries, strawberries and raspberries, needs many hands helping to pull big sheets of plastic over top of his two strawberry hoop houses. We’ll have free warm drinks and muffins to keep our spirits high. This Saturday, March 26, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Rain date Sunday, March 27.) To sign up, email Meg at mklepack@citymarket.coop.

Thursday, 03.24.11
Phineas Gage (Folk/Americana)
***$5 suggested donation
www.myspace.com/gagephineasgage

Cheekily described as “music for happy brains,” Phineas Gage is an Americana folk band who borrows its name from Phineas P. Gage, a courageous Vermont railroad worker who amazingly survived a large iron rod driven straight through his head. A mystery to the world of medicine and a celebrity to his state in the mid-19th century, the music of tonight’s modern local band titled in his honor is one who has commandeered its sounds from the woods and front porches of men playing upbeat ditties at a county fair in 1848. With a few guitars and a mandolin, expect to hear upbeat back-country classics that sound like the harmonies of workin’ men and pretty ladies. Indeed, the ghost of Phineas Gage sure is going to make your noggin do a dance. Get a listen of the stuff we’re howlin’ about right over here.

Friday, 03.25.11
Bohemian Blues Quartet (gypsy jazz)
***$5 suggested donation
www.facebook.com/pages/Bohemian-Blues-Quartet/107789129270284

Armed with an arsenal of songs the Bohemian Blues Quartet spreads the music of Django Reinhardt, Oscar Marcelo Alemàn, and others. What once started as a simple love of gypsy jazz has grown to a full out celebration of the style of music. Be sure to bring your dancing shoes and a friend when you come see The Bohemian Blues Quartet.

BBQ is comprised of violinist Asa Sourdiffe, guitarist Greg Evans, bassist Corey Beard, and guitarist Matt Harpster.

Saturday, 03.26.11
Aaron Flynn (Rock ‘n Roll)
***$5 suggested donation
www.aaronflinn.com

When you hear someone who is meant to make music perform, the impact is certain and powerful. This is the experience that comes with listening to Aaron Flinn (solo or with his band Salad Days). The music is meant to be and anyone who takes the time to hear it will be stronger for it.

Aaron Flinn plays anything he can get his hands on and writes, engineers, records and performs most of the material that you’ll hear. Aaron also loves hitting the studio or stage with a long list of incredibly talented characters: poets, prophets, beats, bastards, wizards, fairies, family and friends.

Elements of folk, indie rock and classic pop combine with powerful vocals, poetic lyrics and finger-picking guitar. An eclectic group of rock and folk rock songs, with an emphasis on lyrical substance and performance from the soul. Aaron began playing and writing in high school. He won numerous competitions in performance and writing throughout his time at UVM and Berklee College of Music (where he graduated Magna Cum Laude – for what it’s worth). He has gone onto release an impressive body of original work, all the while touring such hallowed venues as Red Rocks Amphitheater, The Great American Music Hall and many House of Blues and working with the likes of The Samples, Gov’t Mule, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Don McLean and Tragically Hip to name but a few.

ESPRESSOGANZAPALOOZA

Come to the Burlington Skinny, the Montpelier Mini-Skinny or the Chubby Muffin & get

ANY SPECIALY COFFEE  DRINK FOR FREE!!!

Drop in any time on the following two days (Thursday & Friday March 3 & 4) and get 50% off a specialty coffee drink.

Pure insanity? We hope so.

In an effort to ratchet the “panda-monium” up to absurdly caffeinated heights, we’re throwing a BIG log on the fire:

The Joshua Panda Band
‘The double-shot of espresso in the mug of Burlington’s music scene.’

Back by popular demand after his screamin’ four week Vermont Winter Waltz Residency…same time, same place, Wednesday, March 2, 8:00 -10:30 at the Burlington SP…and maybe later depending on how wired everyone is…

VYCC is hosting their wonderful annual event, Bolton To the Barns, on Saturday, March 5th: “The Bolton to the Barns ski tour is a mid-winter Nordic event for experienced backcountry ski enthusiasts where skiers will have a great opportunity to spend a day in the hills of Vermont and help the VYCC create opportunities for young Vermonters wishing to play an active role in conserving the Vermont landscape.” More info on the event can be found here: www.vycc.org/home/ski.html.

February Green Drinks is Tuesday, February 22nd from 6 pm – 8 pm in the Main Street Landing’s Lake Lobby. As always, the first 125 pints of Wolaver’s are generously donated by our sponsors!!!

Our sponsor(s) of the Month are:

Burlington Electric Department:  “Burlington Electric Department is the Energy Efficiency Utility for Burlington. Because of our programs, overall electricity use in 2010 was only 2 percent greater than in 1989. During the same period, statewide use of electricity increased by 17 percent. Thus, we are meeting the needs of a growing local economy with about the same amount of electricity as we used 20 years ago. The efficiency investments saved Burlington customers $13.2 million in 2010 alone.”.

Vermont Gas Systems is Vermont’s only natural gas supplier providing fuel service to Chittenden and Franklin counties. Vermont Gas has provided its Residential and Business customers comprehensive energy efficiency programs since 1992. These are comprised of New Construction, Building Weatherization & Equipment Replacement incentive based offerings.

A few words from & about our sustaining sponsors:

Burlington Young Professionals presents 2 great events this week!  On 2/23 we present Managing UP! Seminar with Dr. Sean Collins at the Flynn Gallery from 5:30-7:00 p.m.  Cash bar and food is available, $5 admission with canned item to benefit the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf.  On 2/24, join us at Bolton Valley Resort for some YPG night skiing from 4-8 p.m. Must register in advance, tickets are $20.  http://www.vermont.org/btvypg/vermont_young_professional_events.aspx.

A BIG thanks to our host sponsor, the Main Street Landing Company who would like to send the message, “Open your Hearts……Learn to Forgive…….Embrace those you Love.” Right on, MSL!!!

Green Drinks Burlington loves Seven Days (www.7dvt.com). Seven Days b rings you the Daily 7 – Vermont’s top stories, delivered to your inbox.  Get the day’s most compelling stories across all media – print, radio, TV and web.  Sign up today: http://www.7dvt.com/daily7

Finally, last but certainly not least…Wolaver’s Organic Ales (www.ottercreekbrewing.com/wolavers.html) helps keep Green Drinks going in a big way. For the uninformed, Wolaver’s is: “One of the nation’s original certified organic breweries, Wolaver’s is committed to producing the best beer in the most ecologically sound way.”

VYCC is hosting their wonderful annual event, Bolton To the Barns, on Saturday, March 5th: “The Bolton to the Barns ski tour is a mid-winter Nordic event for experienced backcountry ski enthusiasts where skiers will have a great opportunity to spend a day in the hills of Vermont and help the VYCC create opportunities for young Vermonters wishing to play an active role in conserving the Vermont landscape.” More info on the event can be found here: www.vycc.org/home/ski.html.

How will Vermont manage the difficult social, environmental, and economic challenges that lie ahead in the coming decade? What role should businesses play in ensuring that economic development and job creation is socially, environmentally, and economically innovative? How does the next generation of Vermont business leaders envision the state’s future?

Please join a panel of young Vermont business leaders from a variety of industries to discuss the Green Mountain State’s current challenges and how best to design a more sustainable future.

FREE and open to the public; please forward this invitation to business colleagues who may not have received it.
Any questions can be directed to Tom Helmstutler at crvt@uvm.edu, or 656-4389.

Our sponsor of the month:

The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps:

This wonderful VT organization is hosting their equally wonderful annual event, Bolton To the Barns, on Saturday, March 5th: “The Bolton to the Barns ski tour is a mid-winter Nordic event for experienced backcountry ski enthusiasts where skiers will have a great opportunity to spend a day in the hills of Vermont and help the VYCC create opportunities for young Vermonters wishing to play an active role in conserving the Vermont landscape.” More info on the event can be found here: www.vycc.org/home/ski.html.

More on the VYCC: “The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps is a non-profit youth, leadership, service, conservation, and education organization that instills in individuals the values of personal responsibility, hard work, education, and respect for the environment. This is accomplished by using conservation projects as the vehicle for learning in an intense environment.“

And, of course, we couldn’t keep Green Drinks crankin’ like we do without the help of our friends at Seven Days newspaper! Seven Days brings you the Daily 7 – Vermont’s top stories, delivered to your inbox.  Get the day’s most compelling stories across all media – print, radio, TV and web.  Sign up today:  http://www.7dvt.com/daily7

The Hearty Winter (Montpelier): Roasted Winding Brook Farm Lamb Shoulder, Cider Jus, Taylor Farm Gouda and pickled red onions. $11.95

Burlington: we are featuring a 4-course prix fix Valentine’s menu Friday through Monday nights for $65. Please visit our website for details!

NOFA-VT Annual Winter Conference
nofavt.org/annual-events/winter-conference
Saturday, February 12 – Monday, February 14
$50 – $60 per day or $95 – $115 for all days.

“Farmers, gardeners, localvores and other players in the state’s local food community gain momentum for the movement through keynote speeches and more than 70 workshops. Visit nofavt.org for schedule and locations.” – Seven Days

The Skinny Pancake just loves Rob Williams and the Vermont Yak Company. You might know Rob from such extraordinary ventures as: Phineas Gage (playing the Burlington Skinny P  Thursday, January 27th) or The Vermont Commons (the bi-monthly journal) …

but have you heard of the VT Yak Co.?

If you missed James Beard Award-Winning author, Rowan Jacobsen, give a rave review on VPR— you can check out the web episode of this weeks VPR Table: Yak to the Future.

Think you need a visual? Eva Sollberger gets up close and personal with Waitsfield’s one and only VT Yak Co, in Stuck In Vermont: Episode 191 .

Not sold on yak yet? Come in to the Burlington Skinny Pancake for this weeks special: The Wintervore’s Crepe: Chioggia Beets, Spinach, and Boucher Blue cheese wrapped in a Gleason’s Grains whole wheat crêpe & topped with a Scotch Egg (a hard boiled egg surrounded by Green Mountain Smokehouse Yak sausage, breaded & deep fried) & a Blood Orange Reduction. $12.95

Can’t get enough Vermont Yak?  You could if you invested in a CSA from VT Yak Co — Here’s The Low Down:

Invest in local grass-fed Vermont yak.
The planet’s greenest red meat.
Become a Vermont Yak Company “Community-Supported Agriculture”
charter shareholder for 2011.
The “yak pack” $100 CSA share
4 pounds of lean ground meat.
4 pounds of yak sausage
(maple breakfast, hot Italian,
sweet Italian, and beer bratwurst).
$30 worth of yak steak/assorted cuts.
What are the benefits of eating grass-fed local yak meat?
Yak meat has…
1/6 the fat of grain-fed feedlot beef.
40% more protein than grain-fed feedlot beef.
Fewer grass-fed calories per pound than grain-fed feedlot beef.
and yak meat tastes DELICIOUS!
How does our “Yak Pack” CSA shareholder system work?
- You buy as many $100 “yak pack” CSA shares as you’d like by mailing us a check, made out to:
98 Wallis Woods Road, Waitsfield, Vermont 05673
“Vermont Yak Company”
by March 1, 2011
- You pick up your meat at Steadfast Farm, home to Vermont Yak Company, in late June when we notify you.
It’s that easy. Contact Rob at rob@vermontyak.com / 802.279.3364 (yak mobile) with any further questions you
may have. Yak to the future, we go!

first, a quick note on Pete’s Greens: as some of you may have heard, Pete’s Greens suffered a major fire this week, destroying a very large barn (pictured here). Some updated info can be found at the following link: 7d.blogs.com/blurt/2011/01/more-on-the-petes-greens-fire.html. We are lucky to work with Pete’s Greens & his fantastic produce throughout the year and so saddened to hear of this news. Pete & his crew are an innovative & energetic lot; we know they will bounce back. That said, they’ll surely need the help of the wonderful local foods community here in VT. Please stay tuned for more info…

Now onto our regular scheduled programming…

Happy snow day to you! For the Skinny P, there is a quirky inverse relationship between the amount of snow that falls and the number of customers that come through the door. As the inches turn to feet, the foot traffic diminishes dramatically. Thankfully, the great silver lining is that as foot traffic drops, it frees our staff up to go PLAY! Don’t get me wrong, we’d love to see each & everyone of you. But at least we get this spoon full of sugar as the medicine goes down…

As a friend said recently, “Love the snow and it will love you back.” Below are a few fun ways to play in the snow locally…

Gettin’ after it in snowy VT:

Below is a triffle of a sampling of the many ways to engage in the VT winter outdoors…remember, ‘love the snow & it will love you back.’

Keep it Simple: explore your own back yard with a midwinter walk on the Intervale or Hubbard Park!

Go big with The Catamount Trail (www.catamounttrail.org/): “At 300 miles in length and spanning the state of Vermont from bottom to top, the Catamount Trail is one of Vermont’s treasured gems. It is a cross-country ski trail that has been in the making since 1984 and was fully linked together in 2008. Thousands of skiers and snowshoers take to the trail every winter season — most for the day, many on Catamount Trail Association (CTA) tours, and some to ski end-to-end — all enjoying the backcountry, touring center, farmland and village surroundings along the way. Be sure to explore our winter tours and special events held throughout the year.”

Nordic Skiing at Bolton or Stowe (www.boltonvalley.com/mountain/nordic_center/, www.stowe.com/activities/nordic/): both of these locations offer a bounty of well-maintained, aesthetically gorgeous trails. Stowe has 75 km of trials, Bolton offers 100 km of trails. There is rental equipment & maps for both locations. Also, know that there are many other Nordic centers in VT…

Walk the Notch: drive up to Stowe or Smugglers Notch and enjoy a walk on Rt 108, which is closed for winter. You’ll see some of the most dramatic ice falls, cliffs & overall terrain in all of Vermont while walking on a safe, casual, wide trail. You might also notice alpine skiers ‘dropping into the notch’ through the trees in either direction.

First, some fun facts on the winter solstice:

• The earliest sunset of the year is 4:13 pm. This sunset time starts on December 5th continues through this past Tuesday, December 16th. As of yesterday, it is officially not the earliest sunset of the year!!! Sunset today: 4:14!!!!
• The latest sunrise of the year is 7:29 am. This sunrise time starts on December 28th and continues through  January 8th.
• The shortest overall day of the year–the winter solstice–is this coming Tuesday, December 21st.

Next: a tip I picked up from Seven Days writer Andy Bromage through their weekly newsletter ‘NOW’:

You can cut your own Christmas tree in the Green Mountain National Forest.

Pardon the hippy in me, but: dude, that’s rad!
Here’s the scoop: “The $5 permit — along with a map of where you’re allowed to chop — is available at Forest Service district offices in Rutland, Middlebury, Manchester Center and Rochester.” More info can be found here.

http://www.myspace.com/tallahasseeband

I’m not going to bother endorsing this band…because 7Days did it for me…and given the fact that they have a lot less self-interest going, their opinion ought to hold some weight:

The Shop ‘N Dine Discount:

In the spirit of shopping locally this holiday season, drop into any of these lovely locales and pickup a coupon for 15% your next order of crepes at the Skinny Pancake:

Montpelier: Onion River Sports, Salaam, Capitol Kitchen, The Men’s Store, The Book Garden
Burlington: Outdoor Gear Exchange, Salaam, Dedalus, Bennington Potters, Common Threads, Sweet Lady Jane & Whim

Thanks so much to our pals at all these great shops

for joining us in this cross promotion!

Come into the Chubby Muffin, buy two $10 gift certificates and get a free Quickie & Coffee or 100% Local Beef Hamburger!

$25 Prix-Fixe Dinner for Two:

Two soups or any choice of 1 group munchie
Your choice of two savory classics*
Your choice of one of a selection of dessert crepes.
Available Sunday – Wednesday 3 pm – Closing
*excluding Localvore’s Dream
**Not combinable with other offers

And finally…

Starting soon, the Chubby Muffin will be displaying crafts, clothing & art from local makers, movers & shakers with a specfically affordable bent.  The roster is still growing, but we so far we know we’ve got New Duds & Wink Apparel’s “Love My Muffin Top” American Apparel Organic Undies! More to come…drop in and check it out!

Reefer Madness, the Musical
December 2 – 4, Waitsfield

Consider Reefer Madness, the Musical in Waitsfield. This is the last of their three weekend run!!! I had the great fortune of watching a sibling perform in this masterpiece two years ago. It is outrageously funny!!! More info here: www.valleyplayers.com/

Got local food?
Remember…the Burlington & Montpelier winter farmer’s markets happen every two weeks…

Saturday, 12.04.10
The Capital City Farmer’s Market
10 am – 2 pm in the Montpelier Highschool Gym
www.montpelierfarmersmarket.com/

Winter’s Farmer’s Market (Burlington)
10 am – 2 pm, Memorial Auditorium
www.burlingtonfarmersmarket.org/

Got local gifts?

The Moretown Artisans’ Fair
December 11th (10 – 4) & 12th (11 -4)
http://moretownartisan.com/

“Brought to you by the same cool kids behind SIPtemberfest, the Best Local Holiday Sale around is back! December 11 & 12 at the Moretown Town Hall. Get quality crafts that make awesome holiday gifts for abosolutely everyone you know AND support your local artisans AND tell SANTA how good you’ve been this year! Win/Win/Win!” More info here: http://moretownartisan.com/