Vignettes from Vermont: Small Business Saturday

Alyssa.

BENNINGTON -- A cutie who looks like Jami Gertz's cousin from Cambridge, New York, took the early lead in Art Gallery Dude's search for the right face to cover "Chalk It Up!" -- a book celebrating New England's coolest new interactive business attraction (HERE).

AGD snapped Alyssa as she chalked it up during Small Business Saturday and then took several more photos to her delight. "You can take as many as you want," she said.

Here is Alyssa in action and then afterward ...

Indeed, Alyssa helped make Small Business Saturday a success.

According to early estimates by AGD, 142 customers roamed the gallery on a day earmarked to promote small business in America.

AGD chronicled the day with photos galore, many of them in the Graffiti Vault.

That's because from now until December 31, Fiddlehead encourages anyone and everyone who wants to be in the book to come to the gallery to Chalk It Up! Then just sign a waiver giving AGD permission to use the photo of your art in a book, which will go into production in early January and released in the first week of February.

Here's a photo journey of Small Business Saturday at Fiddlehead (click to enlarge) ...

This orange from Florida got 1.5 stars out of 5. AGD was not pleased.

Tiramisu joe made AGD feel a little better;
the red curls always begin in a band

Breakfast got 6 stars out of 5

Indeed, no one cooks breakfast like Natasha

It was nippy-cold at 9 in the a.m.;
AGD loves snapping pics of the old marble bank

Just like AGD likes snapping pics of himself and sunbursts

First customers: mom, pop, daughter at the Banned Books shelf

Abby Page, artist ...

... if she's telling the truth, this is her work at Deviantart.com;
for more of her gallery click HERE. That is major stuff, kid.

Geordy from Ralph Pucci Gallery
in New York City;
dude is confident, in a good way;
dude is fashionable, in a good way;
and dude carries himself galore

Pownal-Bennington puppy lovers ...

... who are engaged: A. Kieth Ford and Lisa Haner-Ford;
he did the Graffiti words, she drew the big pink heart

Brother and sister Francesca and Gavin will be in the book

Lunch: Turkey Day leftovers;
out-of-this-world stuffing and carrot bread by Nina

"Ruby Was Here" Bratcher ...

... and Shealeen Bratcher ...

... and Billy Bratcher of Bennington, musician;
member of the Starline Rhythm Boys (HERE)
told AGD story of how he knows Trey Anastasio
but declined to record at The Barn (will update soon)

Mount Anthony senior Rebecca Romac ...

... who's also in the early running to cover "Chalk It Up"

By 4 in the p.m. AGD is a little worn out

But Nina's breaded chicken and rice and veggies replenish his energy

Great Scots! Steven and Vicki Bentley (read more below)

6 o'clock

AGD was quite enamored with Steven and Vicki Bentley from Scotland, especially Vicki's thick accent. It was their third trip to Fiddlehead since August. They live in Albany but keep coming back to Vermont, and why not? Vermont's road were built to drive.

Today they drove to Brattleboro and stopped into the gallery on the way home.

Steve chalked the Scottish flag -- which bears St. Andrew's Cross -- and then AGD asked Vicki, who looks like Julianne Moore's cousin from Glasgow, to talk on video to give you a glimpse of her true Scottishness ...

That got AGD thinking about another Scottish lass who he has crushed on for years ...

UPDATE AT 9:09 SUNDAY A.M. -- It seems like AGD is a strong scarf model because this one sold yesterday, a day after this moment ...

UPDATE 2: North Bennington artist Brian Hewitt's sister, Sandra,
showed up yesterday with husband Anthony Bell, a winemaker in Napa;
For AGD's multi-media story on Hewitt click HERE.