Festivals, Tweet-ups, and Concerts… Oh, My!

Okay, so clearly my blogging consistency as gotten a bit off track.  But today, I am officially announcing my recommitment to keeping an updated blog (which includes recruiting guest bloggers, send an email my way if you’re interested!)

That said, spring and summer in Burlington were busy ones.  In addition to taking 802theApp in new directions including partnering with WCAX’s daily deal program, JumpOnIt, revealing our new logo, and continuing to promote ourselves and continue to bring our users the best local events in the greater Burlington area, we kept ourselves very busy with a seemingly endless string of fun our great little city! From festivals (Festival of Fools, Nor Easter Fest, Vermont Brewer’s Fest, Jazz Fest, Art Hop, to name a few),  to some amazing tweet-ups getting to know our fellow tweeps in “real life,” and a whole slew of music events and concerts! Rarely does one ever suffer from a lack of something to do in good ole Burlington, Vermont.  It’s all about seeking out the fun!

Stay tuned, as we continue to seek out the fun, and bring you an inside perspective! And in the meantime,  a happy Thanksgiving to you all! 

Beer Drinking for a Cause

Not that it’s ever hard to find an excuse to enjoy a nice cold beer at the end of the day – crazy day at work, meeting up with friends, or, maybe, you just darn feel like it.

But, there’s something a little more satisfying about the taste of Allagash white, knowing that it’s supporting a good cause, like the Make a Wish Foundation of Vermont.  On Thursday, MAWV held an Allagash Beer Tasting Benefit at RiRa’s in Burlington.  The event was quite a success, filled with mingling, beer tasting, snacking, as well as an auction and raffle.  The Allagash staff was helpful and friendly, as we made our way through the variety of beers they offered, taking the time to explain the different flavors and their Belgian brewing styles.

The most touching part of the night was listening to a “wish mom” share the experience she and her ill son shared when he was granted a wish from the foundation.  Pulling on my heart strings, her story truly brought home the impact and the joy that Make A Wish brings to so many families with children facing life threatening illnesses.  Just to have one day when the illness can be put aside, dreams can come to life, and memories can be made must be so priceless for the families.  I was so glad that I could be a part of such a fun event for a great foundation. 

And there’s another chance to show support!  This Thursday, St. Patrick’s Day, Make A Wish Vermont will be hosting a fundraiser at RiRa’s.  Breakfast starts at 7am, bands will go from 8am to 2am, and for every Guiness pint sold, $1 will go toward MAWVT!  Hope to see you there! 

Get a Clue!

On Thursday night, Magic Hat hosted their second annual Twitter Crawl - a twist on the traditional pub crawl with a scavenger hunt feel to it.  Proceeds of this pre-Mardi Gras event support the Women’s Rape Crisis Center.  So in other words, I felt like I was drinking for a good cause!

The premise of the Twitter Crawl was seemingly straightforward.  After convening at 156 Bistro for sign in and instructions, Magic Hat would be tweeting out clues to help teams figure out which bar to hit next.  The winner would be chosen at random from a hat at the end of the evening, provided your team proved they made it to all of the correct bars (it became harder and harder to remember to ask for receipts as the night progressed). 

Here’s the thing, the clues were actually much more challenging than I had anticipated.  Among the hints were “This parrot squawks “Slainte!” Don’t get caught in its breathy wake,” and “Can you drink beer?  Yes! Toucan!”  Luckily, there were a few clues that were slightly more my speed . . . “Borough in and toss your dough around,” and “Your 4-person team should connect here if you wish to win.”  Eventually, our team made it to all 10 bars, and perhaps a few extra for good measure.  And though I would have loved to win the 10-person weekend at Smuggs, I was glad to have made it to the end of the night without falling over. (Congrats, by the way, to       Team LittleLebowskiUrbanAchievers!)  Can’t wait for the 3^rd Annual Twitter Crawl next year!  

Wine Pairing at The Spot

First off, let me set the scene.  If you have not yet visited The Spot on Shelburne Road, be sure to check it out.  Typically open for breakfast and lunch, The Spot, housed in a former kitschy gas station, offers a tasty variety of Hawaiian style fare.  This surf-style restaurant boasts a dining room filled with surf photos and posters, huge fish tank with lots of colorful tropical fish, palm trees and bamboo tables.  The garage doors let ample sunlight filter in (if we’re having a sunny day here in Vermont), adding to the beachy atmosphere.  All of this topped off with true Hawaiian Kona coffee!  It’s a must try! 

During the warmer months, The Spot is open for dinner Thursday through Saturday nights (hoping these dinner hours will come back in the spring!), and occasionally, the Spot hosts a wine pairing night.  This past Tuesday was one such event.  As one of the most unpretentious wine pairing events I’ve ever been to, I found that it is so easy relax and really enjoy the wine, the food, and the company.  Ian Delorme, a local wine expert, provided fascinating history about the Argentinean wine we were sipping (or maybe gulping) while we were treated to a delicious 4 course meal, including vegetable empanadas, Brazilian fish stew, grilled flank steak with chimichurri and humitas (corn cake).   All in all, a wonderful meal, perfectly matched wines, and more than enough food and drink to satisfy!  Be on the lookout for another wine pairing at The Spot in the coming months – you won’t want to miss it!

Bowling: So Underrated

I am not going to lie, as much fun as heading to the mountain and spending all day riding can be, there comes a point in the Vermont winter when another winter activity is needed, just to spice things up a little.  Otherwise, we run the risk of turning into hermits, held up in our homes, dreading the wintry mess that has become our yards, driveways, and sidewalks. 

This weekend, a group of us decided to give bowling a try.  The verdict?  Bowling is way underrated!  We had a blast!  Being a thrifty crew, we decided to wait for Cosmic Bowling to begin ($15 all you can bowl from 10:00pm to 1:00am at Champlain Lanes on Shelburne Road), so we killed some time in the arcade.  I don’t know the last time I was in an arcade, but let me tell you, there’s something so satisfying about watching those tickets spit out of the machines, collecting them, and turning them in for crappy prizes.  We walked away with mini gold-fish playing cards, purple wonder woman-like bracelet, rubber snake, and a spongy dinosaur. 

Once the bowling started, I am not sure if I was more entertained by the game itself, or the stellar people-watching.  Either way, a good time was had by all.  Some of us struggled with the bowling ( I scored a whopping 74 in my best game; I am way better suited for wii bowling), while others should just turn pro (we had one guy in our group score a 228, and another scored 235!!), and then there were the cosmic bowling prizes (yup, one in our group scoreda one dollar bill for getting a strike with a red pin).  The night wouldn’t have been complete without a couple rounds of jello shots, and of course, some classic selections on the juke box . . .Paradise City, Beast of Burden, and a little Proud Mary. 

All in all, great time!  If you haven’t done the bowling thing in a while, winter’s the perfect time to give it another try.  Hmmmm . . .maybe a it’s time to join a winter league?  

Escaping Vermont Cold

With the beginning of the year in Vermont come those frigid temperatures that this state’s natives are all too familiar with.  The biting air, the bone-chilling wind, the take-your-breath-away wall of cold when you step foot outside for the first time.  But we’re a tough brood.  As much as we Vermonters complain about the cold, the truth is we’re proud of our ability to endure it.  “You think it’s cold where you are?” we say to our Bostonian friends, “it’s 25 below here.  You’re practically living in tropical conditions with your whopping 8 degrees!”

But enduring such cold days is made more bearable by seeking refuge in Burlington’s most welcoming, warm bars and restaurants.  At the top of the list. . . American Flatbread.  Coming in from the cold, I l am always immediately welcomed by, not only the warmth, but the aroma of fresh, delicious flatbread pizza being cooked in the open wood fire hearth.  Though there is almost always a wait to be seated, the ever-amiable crowd at the bar always finds a way to fit at least a few more.  Flatbread’s delicious selection of home-brewed and local beers rarely disappoint.  Swigging back an Allagash always helps to thaw my insides, and on really lucky nights, I’ll find space at the far end of the bar near the glowing fireplace.  Once seated in the perfectly dim-lit dining room, I look forward to being treated to an array of fresh-made flatbread offerings and specials.  My go to favorites?  The Medicine Wheel (wood-fired cauldron organic tomato sauce with three cheeses and fresh herbs) and Punctuated Equilibrium Flatbread (kalamata olives, oven roasted sweet red peppers, handmade VT goat’s cheese, fresh rosemary, red onions, cheeses and fresh herbs).  And, since it’s always so tough to end my escape from the cold, I usually treat myself to one more drink before venturing back out into that Vermont winter cold!