Dessert is often the culmination of Valentine’s Day festivities. Couples can enjoy decadent desserts while out on the town, but waiting to indulge until you arrive home gives couples time to digest and savor the rich flavors more completely. Of course, when it comes to Valentine’s Day desserts, chocolate must make an appearance. This recipe…

By Brooke Geery This year, Valentine’s Day falls on a Monday, which following holiday logic means you can celebrate all weekend long and Monday. For the hopeless romantics, it’s a dream come true! For everyone else, well, we’ve come up with a few more fun ideas for how to celebrate that go beyond the classic…

Thursday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. — VIRTUAL — Vermont Studio Center (VSC) announces a special featured reading with author Cherie Jones. The reading will take place on Thursday, Feb. 10, 7-9 p.m. on Zoom, as a part of the Visiting Writer program. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required.…

Friday, Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m. — PUTNEY — Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present a contemporary folk singer/songwriter twin bill with Antje Duvekot and Mark Erelli at Next Stage on Friday, Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance, $24 at the door, and $5 for the livestream. “Antje and…

Feb. 12-27 — WOODSTOCK — Ever wonder how the sweet, sticky syrup on your breakfast pancakes was made? Learn all about maple sugaring in Vermont during the Magic of Maple, daily from Feb. 12–27, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Billings Farm & Museum. Vermont’s rich maple history will be on display, through photographs from…

Feb. 10-19 — SOUTH POMFRET — Writer Mignon McLaughlin said, “A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” Actors Christopher Sutton and Lyn Philistine know a thing or two about this. Not only do they portray the lead characters, Michael and Agnes, in the romantic musical “I Do! I…

Sunday, Feb. 13 — RUTLAND — The creative minds behind Überwintern and Winterbike are at it again. Mountain Bike Vermont (MTBVT) has partnered with Pine Hill Partnership in Rutland to offer a day of fatbike stoke on cold-rolled single track this Super Bowl Sunday. Join them Sunday, Feb. 13 as fatbikers from around New England…

Leaderboard Larry attempts to catch up with a 'fiery little ball of pure atomic energy’ By Larry Levack Before I get started, here’s a little background on how this story came to fruition. I met Brooke Geery at Killington’s Skyeship and immediately made it clear that I felt a little bit awkward and somewhat uncomfortable…

RUTLAND — Vermont Farmers Food Center (VFFC) has appointed Heidi Lynch as interim executive director, as it enters its second decade as an agricultural food and education hub for Rutland County. Lynch moves into the leadership role after 10 years with the organization, where she began as a volunteer in 2012, and most recently served…

Feb. 3-6 — The Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival (MNFF) has announced the resumption of its statewide Vermont tour, following a two-year hiatus. Two top films from its 2021 7th annual festival will screen in six towns across the state on the expanded weekend, February 3-6. The two feature documentaries that will screen are the award-winning…

Officials at Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, a nationally recognized nonprofit providing sports and recreation year-round to people with disabilities, announced Jan. 26 that Molly Tobin, program coordinator for the organization, has been awarded the 2021 Kellen Sams Memorial Leadership Award. “We are thrilled that Molly is this year’s recipient of the award,” said Christine…

Big Lazy and Mamie Minch Sunday, Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. — PUTNEY — Next Stage Arts in Putney announces a performance featuring two underground bands from the Brooklyn Barbés scene, on Sunday, Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. Big Lazy has flourished for over two decades in NYC’s downtown music scene. Simultaneously noir and pastoral,…

Emergencies, especially storms, can be unpredictable and cause personal injury and costly damage to homes. The right insurance is essential to help mitigate damage from storms and soften the financial blow that such destruction can cause. Not all insurance is the same, and additional policies and riders may help reduce the impact of emergencies. Homeowners'…

By Victoria Gaither Although skiing and snowboarding dominate central Vermont this time of the year, another outdoor sport pedals along — fat biking. “Up here in Vermont, people love riding them, a lot of people do move mostly to skiing in the winter, but for the way our weather is going, I don’t see fat…

Why your local paper matters Wednesday, Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. — VIRTUAL — Vermont Independent Media (VIM), publisher of The Commons, will host a panel discussion with Vermont publishers/editors about the future of local journalism on Wednesday, Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. on Zoom. VIM’s panelists will discuss the turmoil in local journalism today…