Verde Monts

That's my fancy title for this post about my recent trip to Vermont (even the French were onto the "Green Mountains" theme). Last week I spent three days in Vermont's tiny capitol, Montpelier. With a population of just over 8,000, Montpelier has a true "small town" ambience, but at the same time has a lot to offer within a small area. In addition to being the home of the Vermont state government, Montpelier is a center of higher education, with three colleges as well as the New England Culinary Institute.

Montpelier is a compact, picturesque town, with its downtown confined to a few blocks. One can start walking at the west end of State street, where the State House and government buildings are located, and reach the other end of the business district (Main Street) in less than five minutes. The walk takes one past the Capitol Plaza hotel, along with many shops and restaurants. The feel is reminiscent of Portland's Old Port district.

The NECI (which boasts the Food Network's Alton Brown among its alumni) is a treasure for the city, which benefits from its three teaching restaurants (a pastry/sandwich shop, a casual restaurant and a high-end dining establishment). However the true spirit of the city can be found in the Coffee Corner, a fixture on the corner of State and Main for half a century. The Coffee Corner looks for all the world like every eggs-and-coffee greasy spoon that you've ever been in, but there is a notable difference. The Coffee Corner is a place where eggs share the menu with tofu as easily as state legislators share booths with farmers. With a nod to Vermont's liberal and independent spirit, consideration is given to vegetarian and vegan diners, even to the point of having a separate grill in order to avoid cooking vegitarian selections alongside meat products. The Coffee Corner is also a founding member of the Vermont Fresh Network, which "builds innovative partnerships among farmers, chefs and consumers to strengthen Vermont's agriculture."

Montpelier is full of many such delights. Businesses use the tables of the Capitol Grounds (the trendy, liberal coffee shop) to hold informal meetings, and even the liquor store has artistic photographs in the front window. The lawns donwtown are kept immaculate, and the victorian inns are tidy and well kept. I found Montpelier to be a wonderful place to relax and breathe the fresh air. I look forward to my next trip, when I hope to have more time to explore all that the city has to offer.