Last Sunday’s “06880” post on Christie’s Country Store — aka Vermont — brought this response from Philip Perlah:
After 38 years, it is time to say goodbye to Westport. About 6 years ago we bought a 2nd home in a small town in Vermont. We have now moved in.
Our new town has a population of about 3,000, compared to the 25,000 or so in Westport.
Traffic lights are not merely suggestions. Actually, we don’t have any traffic lights.
Philip Perlah’s new downtown.
There are very few Bimmers and Benzes; more Subarus and pickups (really, really big pickups). Having fewer Bimmers seems to reduce the problems of the entitled self-important. For example, parking is a breeze at the Starbucks parking lot. Actually, we do not have a Starbucks parking lot.
Well, we don’t even have a Starbucks. But we do have a coffee shop on the green, and an old-fashioned, aluminum diner with Formica tables (narrow — only 1 row of booths and a counter).
But there is a McDonald’s in the next town. And a Shaw’s.
We all remember the Westport Shaw’s –- narrow aisles, dingy, useless clerks. The Vermont Shaw’s has wide aisles and really, really helpful, friendly staff. Like all grocery stores in Vermont, it has an entire aisle devoted to wine.
Our home is on a dirt road (plowed by the town), and a river runs through the back yard. When the wind is right, we are reminded there is a dairy farm a mile down the road.
Philip Perlah’s Vermont home.
We can walk to the town green, which has eclectic shops and restaurants — all locally owned — and a cute library.
The scenery is lovely, and the “vibe” is really mellow and relaxing.
We still have our season tickets to the Westport Country Playhouse, so we were back to see “Nora.” We didn’t miss it one bit.
Next year we’ll subscribe to the Weston Playhouse. As in Weston, Vermont.
A river runs through Philip Perlah’s back yard.
