-a n-4¢.:\\D«V\=-.- . 3"" 12 —- OUT IN THE MOUNTAINS — OCTOBER 1997 lreviews Pop / Jazz Vocalist & Musician Suede in concert 0 8:00 p.m. at the Unitarian Curch on Pearl Street in downtown Burlington ’ Saturday, Nveber I5, 1997 TICKETS $12 by calling 863-2437 or at these local merchants: Peace and Justice in Burlington Phoenix Rising in Montpelier Vermont Book Shop in Middlebury This performance benefits Vermont CARES and Outright Vermont C}l1t ter The Gay & Lesbian literature and Film club at Blur-Iington Mondays/Tlic Rhombus Gallery] Church 8 College Sts../ Weelcly Boole 5:? Movie Discussions/Open To l:I\/ll — Steven Kopstein 44344-5653, gli’cterv’c@aol.com FE'S'1'lIl.ES' IJ REAL MEN Gllll (fl-IIIT LINE SIZZUNG LOCKER ROOM ACTION JOIN IN OR JUST EAVESDROP PHONE SEX FOR THE GAY 90‘S ‘I-900-745-3306 Mon: acnou A7 I-900-745-284.5 /Fa ALL urssrnss . LOCAL AND NATIONWIDE I-900-745-3710 $2.49/MIN - visit us AT \N\NVV.HIJK.CON\ - 18+-YRS DIITELIIIIE REAL #5 av DONALD GIGUERE AND BETSY MCLANE ——————— — — etty Green was known in her day as the "Witch of Wall Street.” Her broom was the daily train from her home in Bellows Falls to New York, where she parlayed an inheritance into a fortune in excess of $100 million. And that's back when a $100 million was worth something. Ms. Green is gone now. Her remains rest in the cemetery of Immanuel Episco- pal Church- a lovely Gothic Revival stone building with a bell cast by Paul Revere. We don't know where her fortune went, but it's clearly not in Bellows Falls any- more. It could, however, be put to splendid use here. ”Look at these wonderful buildings. Look at the size of them, and the architec- tural detail. Look at the grounds. Look at the prices...Where are you ever going to find buys like this again in our lifetimes? "And then, look at the well-to-do an- tique and art lovers just across the river in Walpole (NH) and over the hills in Chester. Think how happy they'd be to discover tasteful new shops, salons, restaurants and galleries to spread their riches. ”Is there any limit to what could be done here by a dozen or so gays with a little imagination and money to invest?” asks John, dreaming of Provincetown, or Rehoboth Beach, or New Hope. We've had a whirlwind tour of the town and a late lunch. (We highly recom- mend a stop at Miss Bellows Falls, a marble- couptered diner built in the 1920s by the Worcester Lunch Car Company. Sit at one of five original oak booths, or park your- self on one of the eight original stools and order from the menu or the specials board. Sister Donna will cook you a meal worth your money and she's looking for a ”Cel- ebrate Diversity" sticker for the diner door.) We're feeling enchanted when we return to find John. Raymond lets us into the Island Street Deli on his way out. The building is locked for a few hours so that John and the crew can transform themselves before reopening for the bar crowd. That's right, folks. This is a deli/bakery by day, and a gay bar by night (Thursday-Sunday). It's a long drive from Montpelier, but the very concept seemed so fey we had to come and check it out. Some of you may remember John from the inn/bar, Cahoots, he owned be- fore the rules and regulations people drove him out of business. He's back with a vi- sion and we came to see what he's build- ing. ”Well, I suddenly found myself with eighteen dogs," he points to pictures of the beautiful beasts- mostly recovered grey- hounds, "and I started baking for them. I don't know if you've ever sampled com- mercial dog treats, but I think they leave something to be desired. Sol played around with a lot of natural ingredients and that's how Vermont Treats got started.” Vermont Treats rules the kitchen at the rear of the building at 30 Island Street. The company has expanded and now manufactures treats for cats, horses, and birds as well as dogs. Thirteen of the origi- nal pack still serve as official taste testers of the bakery’s products. _ Despite the growth of the biscuit bak- ery, a large portion of the old building hous- ing the company was unprofitably idle. I-Iis building sits on a shaded knoll overlook- ing Uni - - senger train that runs scenery excursions between Bellows Falls and Chester or Ludlow. It occurred to John that the crowds riding the Green Mountain Flyer might like some people treats. Hence the deli was opened. His accountant persuaded John that still more could, and should, be done with the remaining Vacant space in the building. Time had somewhat re- lieved the sting of being forced out when he'd last owned a bar, and John had wonderful memo- ries of being in Cahoots. But he was a different man now (we suspect he's always been a differ- ent man), and this would be a different bar. Here it is. Signs from all directions will lead you to the railroad station on Depot Street. Look across the street and you will see a pleas- ant, grassy rise topped by a one-story red building with a white-trimmed wrap- around porch. Turn the corner from Depot Street and you are at 30 Island Street. Enjoy the porch and the view for a moment. The front door opens into the Hetty green pool parlor- two tables, a rack of cues, and a couple of nooks and crannies to sit and talk. We think we spotted a laser discbox lurking in a dark corner here- un- plugged in deference to Deejay Rob, who was holding sway in the next room, with an eclectic collection of tunes. The dance floor, in the next room, is a good size and surrounded with ample seating. You have your choice of tables and chairs practically on the dance floor, or separated from the activity by a tall wrought iron fence. There's even a con- verted claw-footed tub for those who need to wallow. Up a few steps, or the ramp, are the deejay’s booth and rest rooms. A little remodeling is plannedhere to accommodate a small stage. John has been approached by a couple of bands hoping to play at the bar. The dream is to alternate live and recorded music on a regular basis. Did we mention restrooms? The restrooms at 30 Island Street are reason enough reason, by themselves, to visit this place. The women's is spacious, spotlessly clean, graciously lit, and decorated with antiques and Victorian memorabilia. We felt a bit uneasy with the portrait, which resembled my great-aunt Agnes, scowling at the toilet, but the old treadle sewing ma- chine and deacon’s bench look great. All we can say for the Men's is: It's To Die For. It's so clean and well decorated that one might think of taking up residence there. Even if you stop at 30 Island Street only to visit the restrooms, go first to the barroom. This is through a large dark door to your left as you enter the building. You will enter a high-ceilinged room lit by chan- delier, two walls wrapped by an old, pol- ished wood bar. The other two walls sup- port an antique bureau and a long Victo- rian sofa upholstered in garnet patterned velvet with matching reclining armchairs surrounding a marble-topped coffee table on an oriental rug. The walls are papered with a discontinued pattern (we recall that there are trees and monkeys) that probably cost a zillion dollars per roll before the manufacturer realized that few would be bold enough to use it. Old prints and knick- knacks are artfully placed throughout the room. V Out in the Mountairzs is looking for volunteers in Southern Vermont to help expand our coverage into your area. We need help with distribution, outreach, and writing‘. J you are interested, pleas --,3 A ._:u _m_.. ., inn ..‘..§J:€.l.‘ 5. .'.:.,4,x.I .t‘.w_‘ (rt 1 I311. _ .;_- _.‘.,> ,\~, .tJ.6 l.A.b.l.£‘.fJ .Ll.f—‘1.1.~$. -. ‘ ‘ ‘ " ‘ e call Chris. at 855-92444 , .,.;i.l.:.:.. ;:-_i;'. it’,