It’s nearly ten months since Hurricane Irene barreled through Vermont. While there will be a degree of re-building to do for some time, overall the Green Mountain State has bounced back admirably, due in no small part to the amazing sense of community here.
Clean-up the morning after the flood started bright and early with lots of eager volunteers.
For those of you who have followed the fate of the Blue Building, situated on historic Bridge Street in the center of town and the former home of The Green Cup Café where I was pastry chef, she is coming back strong at long last.
Raging water of the Mad River on 28 August 2011
After a long, arduous winter of foundation work on the building, there is now new life buzzing in the spaces. The Green Closet (a chic, resale shop), The Sweet Spot (amazing sweets and house-made ice cream), the new restaurant “Peasant” (rustic Italian fare) coming in August and also, as serendipity would have it, soon to be the new home of Design Bistro!
The Blue Building just a few weeks ago – great volunteers come out to help install new clapboards. Photo from the Mad River-Irene Facebook page.
Along with the sprouting of new life around us in the woods, fields and gardens, it seems our wee treasure of a town is bursting forth with renewed energy as well! It is very heartening to see, indeed.
Here is a link to a recent article in a local paper with more details on what’s in store:
Bridge to Tomorrow | Seven Days.
Also, one of the new businesses in the building, The Sweet Spot, has a Kickstarter page to help them get out of the gate. Check it out!
The Buttery Fig 