For my final post about Vermont I wanted to highlight a few of my favorite moments and places. Going on adventures wasn’t our core focus during this time. I was prioritizing nervous system (aka burnout) recovery and trying to figure out how to get work as a freelance copywriter. This meant I was only taking part time hours at the café so spending money was limited.
We were able to check out downtown Burlington a few times, it was cute but not too exciting. Unfortunately, we didn’t commit any time toward searching for Champs the Lake Champlain “monster”. There are some gorgeous hikes along the lake, so that is definitely something to do the next time we’re there.
Addison County Fair & Field Days
What’s a summer without a county fair? When I was a kid the Collier County fair was the most exciting time of the year. When I saw a flier for the Addison County Fair at the local general store/gas station I knew we had to go! As the date approached I found out that I actually knew someone who would be driving in the demolition derby. No way, we were missing that! So we went to the fair on a beautiful Vermont summer night. We visited the Maple Shack with maple flavored everything! I had a doughnut, but boy do I wish I could have tried a maple creemee. **Creemee is the Vermont term for soft serve**
We also visited multiple barns of livestock and saw cows that were taller than me. Seriously, I never knew cows could get so big. Then it was derby time. Corn dog in hand we found some seats on the grassy lawn and joined in the countdown to smash town. It was surprising how much joy I felt watching and hearing cars smash into each other. I’ve seen one demolition derby before as a kid, I think it was more like a stadium environment, but this was Billy’s first time. Local folks, local cars, good old-fashioned fun. Hell yeah, smash ‘em up!
Tattoo Time
I didn’t plan on getting a tattoo in Vermont. I was just innocently browsing Instagram when I saw an artist with an amazing Tim Burton-esque/Edward Gorey style. He happened to be in Burlington. The more I looked at his work the more it seemed like a perfect fit for an idea that had been floating around in my head for ages. The idea was an homage to Tim Burton in the form of a robot from Edward Sciccorhands. Remember the scene in the Inventor’s mansion where the assembly line of robots is making a batch of cookies? For some reason that scene had been embedded in my brain since I saw it as a child. I decided this was the perfect opportunity. I shared my idea with Shiloh, the artist, and he loved it right away. I sent a few screen grabs as inspiration photos and he designed a delightful custom robot boy for my arm. A little bit of this, a little bit of that, some nuts and bolts, a whisk for a hand, and of course, cookie cutter feet.
I could not be happier with the final result, it’s beyond anything I imagined! Part of the thrill was having a kick ass custom designed piece of art on my arm and another part was just the fact that I made a decision I was sure of. Not second guessing, no anxiety. I knew I wanted it and I did it! I’m currently saving to have some background art added so it’s a more cohesive half sleeve design.
Shiloh is now the owner of The Inkwell Emporium, I would recommend him to anyone as an amazing artist and creative mind. Since I was there the front of the shop has been redesigned to include a beautiful witchy store where you can buy all sorts of magical accoutrement.
Ben and Jerry’s
You might know that Ben & Jerry’s hail from Vermont and that their flagship factory tour is available there. Yes I love ice cream, but visiting the factory wasn’t really on my radar. We had just a few weeks left in Vermont and Billy wanted to check out Stowe and visit The Alchemist brewery, one of his favorite beers at the time. Looking at the map Ben & Jerry’s was pretty much on the way, so we decided to stop by.
You can visit totally for free which is cool. You only need to pay admission if you want the behind the scenes tour, which we did not do. But you still get to walk the property, learn some history, and visit the Flavors Graveyard. All the poor flavors that just didn’t make it out in the world.
While you’re there of course you need to eat some ice cream. They have a great counter service area with sooo many flavor choices. And low and behold ::trumpets blaring:: non-dairy options! The last time I had “real” ice cream was probably 2018, give or take. I’ve tried Lactaid pills and all that, but it’s just not worth the stomach cramps. So, getting to order a loaded up Ben & Jerry’s non-dairy ice cream cone, with chocolate sprinkles on top, was the absolute highlight of my year. Not to mention sitting in beautiful green grass looking at the mountains of Stowe while eating it.
This stop ended up being one of my favorite memories from our time in Vermont!
If you’re a non-dairy friend you’ve got to try their Change the Whirled flavor. I’ve been looking for it in stores ever since this summer and just found a pint last week! It’s as blissful as I remembered.
Recommended Stops
If you find yourself in the Middlebury Vermont area here are some must do’s I recommend.
Pastries and loaves of bread handmade daily! They also have great sandwiches, cakes, and coffees. The bakers here really are passionate about what they create.
My Favorites: Olive twist, fruit tart, ham and cheese croissant, almond croissant, cinnamon twist (dipped in coffee)
My final perspective of Vermont is that it’s a beautiful, peaceful state. Farms make up 19% of the land in Vermont. Approximately 1.9% of the population is a “farmer” of some type. Fun fact: Vermont produced 3.1 million gallons of maple syrup in 2022. Sometimes it felt like every other person I met was a farmer. The people who live there know how to work hard, have a profound inner strength, and have a true appreciation for craft and handmade goods. While the thought of Vermont winters chills me to my core, it is a place I would love to call home.