Comparing Burlington and Brattleboro (Colchester, Stowe: house, condo, rental)

[girlandpup]

Originally Posted by vter

I'm assuming Fletcher Allen. I'm not sure I'd call it one of the best in the US. It's adequate, but not what I would call stellar.

That's what I thought, too. Thanks.

[cheyennah]

Twice now I had ventured to Bennington and Brattleboro,in seeking a place to settle in and start up a business,when wanting to know something,they say,ask the locals.....so,do the residents prefer,big named stores or small specialty stores.....Also,what are the job fields like,say if your an Engineer or surveyor?Is there more to Bennington,then that which meets the eye,while it is great to have tourist info,what is the word,from those that live there?and,also,is it pet friendly?Does it offer a place to take your pets,venues for pets,can one take pets into local stores,outdoor eateries,parks?Though I have yet to check out Burlington,or Montpelier,I had ventured to Wilmington,and found that is more a tourist town.... I had also driven towards Albany,and Troy,ruling out Troy.....

[arel]

I didn't realize that Wilmington was a tourist town. I was there this summer. I saw the town beach at Lake Raponda. Beautiful, serene lake. I didn't see the rest of the town, though.

I think most of the shoreline is private lakefront property.

..................

BTW, is it true that some people actually commute from Burlington to NYC via Jet Blue? I've read of the "Jet Blue effect", but I can't imagine commuting between the two cities. That's almost $160 a day in commuting costs. Unless you are a bigwig on Wall Street, I can't imagine affording that. Also, it takes about an hour to get from JFK to Manhattan on public transportation, and not much less if you take a taxi. And then there are the waiting times at both airports, due to security, delays and whatever else.

It sounds like a big headache to me, but I would imagine that if you want a Wall Street salary and want to live in Burlington, it could be done. If the trade-off were enough, it might be worth it. It wouldn't be that hard if you worked by JFK airport, either. I suppose that if you worked for an airline, the flights would be free. And perhaps other employers would be willing to pay for the commute, if the employees were valuable enough.

[vter]

The folks who do the commute typically stay in the City for 3 or 4 days, then fly back. I know a family that does this. Her company puts her in corporate housing (or something along those lines) for the 3 nights she's in the City.

[arel]

I've heard of people condensing full-time jobs into 3-4 days, and also of doing so out of town. I even know someone who lives in NYC and works, or at least did work, at a job in Baltimore.

Sounds rough, if you are doing it out of town, unless you love both places and/or want to spend some time away from home. In town, it can be great.

[flu189]

Flying from BVT to LGA/JFK for those financially endowed is not a big deal. Afterall, who do you really think owns the most premium of the McMansions tucked away here and there in Vt. Just look at all of the NYC commuters who actually drive everyday from locales upstate and from even the Poconos of Pa which takes longer than flying from here. The airport in Burlington makes the area a choice location for those that have to travel on business or that can and do fly frequently for pleasure.

[arel]

It would be nice to be financially endowed enough to do that.

[vter]

There seems to be a high percentage of these NYC commuters that live in Shelburne & Charlotte (i.e. "mcmansion" central).

[MRVphotog]

Wilmington is a tourist town because of skiing....Mt Snow..500,000 skier visits per winter and Haystack, currently shut down trying to go upscale.

[goatwoodward]

Originally Posted by arel

:eek

It's not 20-25 below for the entire weeks, it just hits 20 below (factoring in windchill) at some point during the day/night. Goretex and no exposed skin is the answer to these woes though. I walked to work every day last winter, barring a couple days it was so cold I didn't have adequate leg coverage. But yes, if you plan to live in Vermont, know that cold weather is the price you'll pay. Invest in a coat rated to -20'F. (LL Bean has some good ones that only run about $114 when they're on sale.) Invest in several pairs of good, sturdy, warm, waterproof gloves and mittens. If they feel too warm in the store, they're probably perfect. Lastly, invest in some thick socks and waterproof boots.* Don't buy the boots unless they have good, nonslip soles and a tread on them. Doc Martens aren't good for snow as the material with which they make their soles is slippery on ice and your feet can go right out from under you.

Don't worry, once you're here, you'll learn the tricks of the trade and adapt to the weather (I never thought I'd think that 20'F was 'warm', but your body really will adapt to the cold). You can put on your outdoor gear and get a little too warm before you head outdoors. Many people have automatic starters to warm their cars before they go to them. Also, I refuse to live in a rural area b/c I don't like shoveling as much snow as is required. I would much rather shovel my own walk and rely on the city for the streets.

*(Snowshoes can also make the commute more fun.)