Hello, January. Hello, resolutions. The new year brings a reenergized reminder of our values and our goals, our hopes and our dreams. There’s some undeniable power in that, so we’re diving head first into this so-called fresh start. We have a few friends around town, new and old, that we’re leaning on to help us keep the momentum going.

TRY SOMETHING NEW

It’s easy to fall victim to the monotony of a comfortable routine. With courage, let’s throw on our coats and make some metaphorical bootprints in a fresh layer of VT snow. Love it or hate it, giving something new a try might just be what you need this new year.

If not bootprints, then we’d suggest Cross-Country Ski tracks. While so many of us are well-versed in the art and thrill of downhill, XC Skiing offers a different kind of physical challenge, tagging on the opportunity to slow down and take in the delicately piled snow on leave-less branches and serenity of the VT woods in winter. Some of our favorite spots to slap on a pair of skis? Check out Trapp Family Lodge, Sleepy Hollow Ski and Bike Center, or Catamount Outdoor Family Center. It’s a chance to practice mindfulness, too – checking another box on our list of resolutions.

Mindful movement, you say? We’re loving time spent at Sangha Studio’s nonprofit donation-based yoga classes all year round. In the summer, Laughing River Yoga holds outdoor yoga on the pavilion at the Burlington Surf Club. To encourage longevity in your resolution, pencil it in for an evening in Summer of 2022. You’re ever-awaited savasana at the end of class will be a breezy-warm bath in the colors of the sunset over Lake Champlain. Add some music and dive head first into a pool of nostalgia with a beginner adult dance class at Lines Vermont. Ballet, tap, salsa – take your pick.

Take a pottery class, or maybe block printing. Watch a bit of glass blowing at AO Glass. Learn to rock climb. Paint and sip. Keep a close eye on Pitchfork Pickle for upcoming pickling workshops. Grab a bottle of natural wine at Wilder Wines instead of your usual grocery store red blend, or try it with an Iapetus tasting at Shelburne Vineyards.

EAT GOOD

This year we’re aiming to eat the foods that makes us feel good, that make the community feel good, or that make the earth feel good.

Eating locally is always on our mind. Many Vermont-owned restaurants around the state, including our own Juniper and Bleu, aim to incorporate locally sourced ingredients as often as they can. When you opt to dine from the comfort of your home, keep the momentum going with a farm share from 1000 Stone Farm, Jericho Settlers Farm, Half Pint Farm, Maple Wind Farm, or Philo Ridge Farm.

Maybe you’re giving a more plant-based diet a try or just working a few more veggies into your daily routine. Check out Pingala Cafe and Revolution Kitchen for full vegan and vegetarian menus. Our friends at Brot Bakery are running plant-based baking classes beginning in 2022 as well. And thanks to Offbeat Creemee in Winooski, committing to this resolution doesn’t have to mean you miss out on experiencing a Vermont creemee anymore.

JOIN TEAM GREEN

We wouldn’t be who we are without Vermont. Our mountains, lakes, and natural areas shape our lifestyles here in the Green Mountain State – and they need to be taken care of.

Start with small swaps at home. Recently opened up on Church Street, the Restock Shop offers a variety of refillable products, helping you trash single use waste this year. Workshops are also available to help bring these practices to the wider community.

Opt to buy more secondhand and vintage clothing rather than new! The Vault Collective, Project Object Vintage, and Dirt Chic are just a few of our go-to’s around town that we’ve spent afternoons browsing for the perfect thrifted addition to our closets.

SUPPORT BIPOC, LGBTQ+, AND WOMAN OWNED BUSINESSES AROUND BURLINGTON

Zinnia Jewelry
Wilder Wines wine shop
Kalche Wine Cooperative
Soul Simone jewelry
Conscious Homestead botanica & merch
V Smiley Preserves with storefront Minifactory coming soon to Bristol, VT.
Bohdi Body massage
Shasha Fierce Yoga
All Hearts Inspirations storytelling & rum cakes
JAG Productions theater
A Single Pebble
Café Mamajuana
Hong’s Chinese Dumplings
Pizzeria Veritá
Pho Hong
Trattoria Delia

This year, care for yourself, care for others. Try new things, but don’t forget about the old habits that you hold close. Let’s grow and learn together – with every shared success to each lesson learned.

Here’s to 2022. Cheers, from HVT.