By James Kent Anora is an exotic dancer at a Manhattan strip club. She dabbles in sex work on the side if the money’s right, and she’s interested enough in the man. At the club, she meets a young, immature son of a Russian oligarch. Anora, who goes by Ani, gets the assignment because she…

As the rain began, we chose to keep paddling. We were on the far side of the reservoir, so it would be at least another hour until we could make it back to the Leffert’s side of the reservoir anyway. The rain continued, leaving little pockmarks on the water and reminding us that maybe next time, we…

By James Kachadorian Please enjoy this story of how a 25-year-old Armenian farm kid from Methuen, Massachusetts, became Killington’s head engineer, responsible for building ski lifts, base lodges, snowmaking, and whatever else was needed as Killington overcame incredible challenges to get off the ground. Now, in my 80s, the memories of those turbulent, exciting days…

Just when you hoped the dust would settle, the Cosmos will kick it up again. This week’s Full Moon happens with Uranus, the planet of surprises, shocks, and changes. If you have a wise eye on the situation, then chances are, you might be shocked but not necessarily surprised. This will be the case if…

There is a moment that comes in the second half of Iranian film director Ali Abbasi’s film, “The Apprentice,” or as I call it, “Trump: The Prequel,” where Donald Trump, played by actor Sebastian Stan, has his manhood called into question by his wife Ivana, played by Maria Bakalova. The Don, hopped up on too…

One slide of the big yellow shovel at a time. The metal-tipped edge slides smoothly across the artificial wood.  Slowly, deliberately, I work my way across the deck. It’s a deck that has hosted some pretty awesome musicians, but all I need for now is for it not to host this heavy snow. One shovelful at a time,…

This is the time of year when nature shows us how to let go When all of the leaves have fallen The trees stand proud and bare They slowly release what does not serve them What they leave behind in the soil helps fuel their future growth. When the cold crashes in hard, the naked…

Several months ago, I wrote about my son’s high school graduation and how shocked my wife and I were when we learned that he had told the entire graduating class that he was headed for Japan once his senior year ended. We discovered his intentions after the valedictorian mentioned it during his speech. “I even…

To say we’ve arrived at a fork in the collective road is an understatement. Regardless of outcomes, that reality isn’t going to change; it’s inevitable now. It’s more than probable we are already on the highway to hell; it’s just a case of who will take us there faster. All that said, though, do you…

When I hug my son after a day of fall bouldering, his hair smells of the sun-warmed rock we’ve been climbing over. It’s a distinctive odor, evocative of gray ledges and golden light returning after rain, and yet it’s not the rock I’m smelling, but tell-tale traces of life. People have written about – and…

Start planning for the 3rd annual Vermont Comedy Festival, Dec. 5-8, with shows throughout this region. I spoke with comics and co-founders Collen Doyle and Matt Vita to learn more about this year’s event. They received hundreds of submissions from comedians all over the country, which they had to whittle down to about 50. Those…

In cartoons, when a turtle is spooked, it retreats into and closes up its shell. While used for comic effect, this imagery is based in fact – although not all turtles are capable of this protective feat. In the Northeast, three native turtle species have hinged shells: the Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii), the common musk…

This French holiday has been quite unique with stunning views at all of our stays. From Les Montagnes des Étoiles (the Mountain Range of the Stars) above Marseille in charming Allauch, to two mountain ranges (one on each side) in beautiful Valence, to a distant sea and Nice City view from Cimiez (where Henri Matisse…

Every generation has its fads and they produce some fond memories as you look back at what they were. I grew up in the ‘50s and ‘60s and will share with you some interesting fads from that time period. Drive-in movie theaters were very popular during those years. There was one located in Rutland Town…

Baseball has its Hall of Fame decorated with the green serpentine marble from the Rochester Quarry in Vermont. Football has a Hall of Fame. And the Basketball one is right down the way in Springfield, Massachusetts. But here in Vermont, our versions are a little different. We have the Vermont Ski & Snowboard Museum, which…