offManhattan

Although there is something to be said for lodge lazing, not knowing “how to” is no excuse to skip the slopes. While the prospect of learning to ski may seem a daunting challenge, certain Northeastern resorts believe that the winter season is really a time for beginners. In celebration of National Learn a Snow Sport Month, more than a dozen mountains are offerings free ski lessons in Vermont for beginner skiers and riders during the week of January 4-10, 2010. We picked the two best venues ideal for newcomers, due to their ample green slopes and varied terrain. Reservations for the free learn-to package can be made through SkiVermont.com in early December.

Back in New York, a week after bubbling brooks, grass-fed cows, and cozy dinners with strangers around a long wooden table, there was a distinct difference in the way we worked, ate, and shopped for food. It wasn’t just how we read the labels to make sure chemical ingredients weren’t the first three listed, it was the pace at which we feasted, the tension that no longer lingered around the shoulders, the brattle of city sounds that we could better embrace because of where we had been off Route 100A at Good Commons in Vermont.

What: Upcoming summer/fall theme weekends at Good Commons

Where: Plymouth, Vermont

When: Food for Thought, adventures in local culture & “green” cuisine: August 27-30; Labor Day Food, Wine & Rejuvenation Retreat: September 4-7; Inner Strength Yoga Retreat: September 17-20.

Why: Let’s face it, even vacations that don’t involve putting your foot on the gas pedal can feel like work, something that needs to be done in order to keep a sane balance in life. But then there are those off the beaten path retreats that arouse a sense of release before you’ve even left the station.

In Vermont, Good Commons combines all things you’d equate with being, let’s say, heavenly: gourmet food prepared by a personal chef, waterfalls, sweeping mountain vistas, bonfires, and Swedish massages.

If you haven’t yet, pay a visit to the 3,000-square-foot Waterpod—a bit of a hippie sustainable art project—which will be docked at Brooklyn Bridge Park August 14-17. [NYT]

Beer and cheese enthusiasts should set aside August 23 for the 13th annual Vermont Cheesemakers Festival, where chèvre will be paired with Pilsner-style beer and semi-firm cheddar will partner with India Pale Ale. Take Amtrak to Rutland. [AMNY]

While we’re on the subject, DC Beer Week begins August 16-21 with participants from 12 breweries and 25 restaurants—mark your calendar for Big Hunt’s Sausage, Cheese and Beerliciousness. [Washingtonian]

Manhattan’s beloved music venue Knitting Factory announced this week that it will move the 22-year-old establishment to a smaller space in Williamsburg, where it will reopen on September 9. [NYT]

New organic grocery store Fresh Fanatic is set to open in Fort Greene on August 18, supposedly with better prices than Whole Foods. [ClintonHillBlog]

The fellows behind FreeIceCream.net are throwing their last summer BBQ in Williamsburg on Sunday, August 23 at Huckleberry Bar; expect free food, free Maker’s Mark milkshakes, free prizes—all you have to do is listen to their music. [FIC]

Let’s face it. Winters in Manhattan can be a miserably frigid experience. Why not take advantage of the only redeeming quality of winter (snow) and enjoy a weekend of skiing or snowboarding? Fortunately for us, there are many winter resorts nearby, which we have featured below. And in traditional oM style, all of these mountains are accessible to you without a car. Next time you take a reluctant step into the cold and rainy streets, remember that it could be snowing at your favorite local mountain. Get out there and hit the slopes!