8 Ways to Explore the Ben & Jerry’s Factory in Waterbury, Vermont
Started in 1978 in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream has become one of the most popular ice cream brands in the world, now with over 500 Scoop Shops worldwide (more than 200 in the United States alone!) and almost 100 varieties of ice cream. Ben and Jerry’s has three factories which produce their famous ice cream: two in Vermont (Waterbury and St. Albine’s) which distribute ice cream throughout the United States, and one factory in Hellendoorn in Holland, which distributes ice cream throughout Europe. The first factory opened in Waterbury in 1985 and guided tours began in 1986. The Waterbury Factory, the only factory open to the public, produces 300,000-400,000 pints a day and welcomes close to a quarter million people each year (up to 800 people on a busy summer day!). Even cooler? Every employee is allowed to take home 3 pints a DAY!
10 Things to Do at the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory in Shelburne, Vermont
We just returned from a quick trip to Burlington, Vermont and enjoyed exploring many of the popular attractions. One of our first stops was to the Vermont Teddy Bear Company in nearby Shelburne, Vermont. Vermont Teddy Bear Company founder John Sortino first stitched a bear for his son in 1980. That same year, he stitched more teddy bears and began selling them at a local farmer’s market. The bears were so popular, and sold so quickly that Sortino started a mail order teddy bear company, calling the orders “Bear Grams”. The first Vermont Teddy Bear Company opened a factory in 1985 and quickly expanded it in 1995 in its current location. Today, the Vermont Teddy Bear Company is one of the largest teddy bear companies in the world, making up to 700 teddy bears, using 200+ yards of fur, every day during peak holiday season. The factory is open for tours year round and has a massive gift shop and design studio where guests can make their own teddy bear souvenir. Owner John Sortino first stitched a bear, by hand, for his son in 1980. That same year, he created more bears for his children and eventually began selling them at a local farmer’s market. Later that year, when he had sold 200 bears in one week at a local farmer’s market, he decided to start a mail order teddy bear company, calling the orders “Bear Grams”, The first Vermont Teddy Bear Company opened a factory in 1985 and quickly expanded it in 1995 in its current location.
10 Rainy Day Activities in Manhattan Teenagers Will Love
New York City, and specifically Manhattan, is a magical place any season and in any weather and for any age. But our recent storms in the Northeast inspired a reader to ask us for recommendations for rainy day activities in the Big Apple. And knowing that she has teen-aged kids, we offered suggestions that we thought would be most engaging for that age. This week, we’re sharing those 10 activities that will (in theory) especially appeal to the teenage crowd.
Playing “I Spy” at The Bushnell Performing Arts Center in Hartford, Connecticut
Named after local civic visionary Horace Bushnell, The Bushnell Performing Arts Center opened as Bushnell Memorial Hall in 1930, less than two years after the groundbreaking ceremony, and was fully restored in 2005 for its 75th anniversary. Known as a presenting center (because all sets and costumes are brought in for each show), The Bushnell is home to the 2,799 seat Mortensen Hall, the 907 seat Belding Hall, which opened in 2001, and several small halls and suites for concerts, lectures, weddings, corporate events, and performances.
Playing “I Spy” at Carnegie Hall
The finest acoustics concert hall in the world, Carnegie Hall is home to over 250 seasonal concerts and an additional 500+ independently produced events every year. It’s not considered an opera hall (no operas are performed) nor is it a performance center (no ballets or Broadway shows- find out by playing I Spy below), but Carnegie Hall does offer world class concerts featuring every genre of music and spoken word. During the late nineteenth century Concert Halls were quite popular, as places to listen to a concert, as opposed to theaters, which were places to watch a performance.
Boston Symphony Orchestra in Boston, Massachusetts
Founded by Henry Lee Higginson, the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) was first located at the site of the current Orpheum Theater and then moved to its current location in 1900. Higginson spent significant time studying European orchestras before creating the BSO in 1881 and the Boston Pops in 1885. Higginson wanted to mimic the Coliseum in Greece, as Boston was considered the Greek “Athens” of America, and included 16 Greek statues of figures related to the arts around the hall.