What’s in a Town?
From Tao, Brattleboro, VT
Well, first, there’s rock and roll. Maybe not first, but definitely up there on the list. For a town to have a vibe,
it’s gotta have soul and music is a big step in that direction. Here in Brattleboro, it wasn’t hard to stumble upon music clubs, 
record stores and outdoor street performances.
A town “center” is also helpful - a place that is mostly unspoken, but clearly inviting to everyone. It might be an obvious spot, like the one in Carrboro, which spotlights the lawn in front of the food co-op, or it might defy logic, like the one I’ve come to notice here in Brattleboro. Instead of happening in a one of those small, green park areas, it happens on a simple, unadorned sidewalk - an almost street corner spot in front of Mocha Joe’s.
Then there’s the place where those ‘work from home’ types who can’t seem to make it work from home…go to do their work. Jerry and I immediately seek out those places, where we can both tune in and tune out. We found this (and great sandwiches) at The Blue Moose in Brattleboro.
Then, there’s the “Third Place“, where you go to catch up with people and stay tuned into the vibe that is what started this whole uptown shuffle in the first place. Here in Brat, I’ve found myself continuously drawn to the local food co-op, which sits at the town’s edge and provides not just nourishment, but some nice, communal wind-down energy at the day’s end. (Or, in some cases, you’ll see a drum circle in a parking lot…)
After a long day in a bustling city of any size, it’s nice to have a quiet retreat that you can wander to on foot. Here, you can walk from the busiest intersection in town, across the River to Wantastiquet Natural Area, where you’ll clear your head with the help of the sounds of the river running.
If that doesn’t work, there’s always a Circus School…
What is it that makes your town sing?
July 11th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
Those guys wading in the river look familiar to me. If you work your way up the river there is a great skinny dipping spot.