By Dom Cioffi My grandmother was the quintessential Italian: she was short, attentive, liked to wear sundresses, hid money underneath the mattress, and spent the better part of her days cooking and watching soap operas. When I showed up and knocked on her door (which was always locked), she would yell, “Who is it?” I…

By Tony Crespi Each season the ski industry unveils new ski collections boasting advancements and refinements in technology and design. Often unrecognized by the public is the complexity of engineering and design principles involved in this process. The tip to tail shapes and dimensions used in a ski are crucial to its performance, as even…

By Larry Abelman Editor’s note: Larry Abelman wrote a popular column, “View From The Cave,” back in the late 70s and early 80s for The Mountain Times. Last winter, he took a trip down south to ski and shares the story here. Growing up in D.C., skiing wasn’t really a subject that ever came up,…

By Brett Yates and Zachary Yates My fancy 18-year-old brother recently finished his first term at Dartmouth College. Given the school’s proximity to Killington—only 35 miles east, though perhaps somewhat more removed culturally—I proposed that he might share some thoughts about undergrad life across the Connecticut River for readers of this column. He responded as…

By Dave Hoffenberg This Saturday at the Pickle Barrel, Killington’s longest running band will perform. The Savage Brothers have been playing here since 1985 and whether you’ve seen them a hundred times or never, it is a show not to be missed. They “bring it” every time they hit the stage. They hail from Windsor…

By Dom Cioffi Each workday morning, I arrive at my office before any other employees. As such, I have to unlock the doors and shut off the security system. I then head to my desk, turn on my computer, unload any relevant paperwork, arrange my coffee and breakfast snacks, and then settle into my chair.…

By Cindy Phillips There’s an analogy among Boomers that describes how quickly we feel life flitting by. It is said that at our age, life is like a roll of toilet paper: he closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes. My favorite local radio station plays soft hits from the 70s through…

By Dom Cioffi Thanksgiving has really transformed itself over the last several decades. No longer a one-day, solely American holiday, the Thanksgiving “festivities” now span from Wednesday, through the weekend, and into Monday. First of all, it’s become customary to throw major parties on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving. These parties grew out of the…

By Dave Hoffenberg Tis the season for holidays, snow and the kickoff of the Killington concert scene. This Thursday make sure you head to the Pickle Barrel for Kung Fu’s first Killington appearance. I had the pleasure of speaking to Rob Somerville, saxophonist for the band, who has been playing up here since the early…

By Mark Bosma Snow could affect holiday travel. A snowy Wednesday and Thursday leading up to the Thanksgiving Day feast created challenges for travelers. It’s important in Vermont to prepare for winter driving and the heightened risks on the road that are inherent to the time of year when we see snow and ice on…

By Kate Robitello In my previous article on oils, I discussed why there are only four oils that we should be consuming: flax oil, olive oil, coconut oil and advocado oil. However, just a glance at many ingredient lists of top brand food items reveals that they will almost always contain an oil that is…

Why don’t toads croak in winter? By Tiffany Soukup I manage a lodge in the Groton Forest on behalf of Vermont State Parks. One warm fall day, while standing outside the lodge, I noticed movement inside one of the window wells around the basement. Realizing that something noteworthy was about to happen, I ran inside…

One of the most confusing aspects of Christmas is the beloved ritual of Christmas dinner. For those who celebrate the holiday, there is no doubt that a special family feast should occur on the most special day of the year, yet as a nation we have still not agreed upon what, exactly, we should serve.…

Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension Professor, UVM Do you like trivia, or at least learning more about the top-selling holiday plant? If so, perhaps you will be interested in a dozen fun facts about the poinsettia plants you buy and see everywhere each December. Fact 1: Did you know that the poinsettia’s main attraction is not…

By Karen D. Lorentz Instead of dreading winter, which admittedly can be challenging, there are steps we can take to enjoy a fun, rewarding, and injury-free snow season as well as a warm time outdoors! Yes, many fear falls and accidents on slippery surfaces and others dread the cold. Reality check: life in general is…