The space is so familiar to Burlington diners – Penny Cluse Café occupied the homey spot at 169 Cherry St for a quarter-century – yet the food and the vibe provided by the new occupant are a fair bit different from the restaurant’s popular predecessor Frankie’s, which opened in mid-April, is owned by chef Jordan Ware and general manager Cindi Kozak, veterans of local dining establishments including the celebrated Vermont restaurant Hen of the Wood Unlike the breakfast-and-lunch focus of Penny Cluse the duo have made Frankie’s into a nighttime destination with a bar serving unique cocktails and a dinner menu that changes daily depending on what’s in season A convivial feel is key to the owners, especially considering concerns that downtown Burlington is in turmoil “It’s so important to keep this city alive and having cool stuff happening,” according to Kozak Much about the 70-seat space will feel familiar to Penny Cluse fans, including the windows overlooking Cherry Street and South Winooski Avenue and the wooden tables recently refinished by Matthew Hastings at RIVEN on the South End of Burlington The wooden floors in the dining room have also been redone as were lighting and woodwork on the ceiling and floor tiling that leads to the step-down kitchen Kozak and Ware remade the upstairs dining area knocking down a wall to open up a private dining room for 12 to 15 people That room’s “dynamism,” according to Kozak helps infuse energy into both floors at Frankie’s “Everybody kind of meets in the middle and it creates a really cool vibe,” she said By opening in the quieter shoulder season of April Kozak said that gave her and Ware and the staff of 20 time to get their feet on the ground “It was a slow start but I feel like people have been coming in quite a bit” more recently One night in June the menu at Frankie’s included asparagus with walnut crema and garlic scape vinaigrette; littleneck clams with almonds chili flake and chive focaccia; grilled swordfish with olives cherry tomatoes and broccolini; and nettle fazzoletti with zucchini Offerings lean toward fresh ingredients and “lighter proteins,” according to Kozak As prime vegetable season moves into full swing Ware said he and sous chef Johnny Capitanelli have been brainstorming on what to do with snap peas “It’s such a wonderful season to be coming into,” according to Kozak She said the kitchen and bar are in constant communication and staff members are using their imaginations; bartender Lauren Simmons conceived a creemee punch that’s been popular Kozak and Ware have additional plans for Frankie’s – they want to develop a roster of bar snacks and create a party menu where the kitchen cooks specifically for a particular table – but they like the way things have started “People seem to really like it,” Ware said “They’re happy that this space was taken over by something good.” It’s important to maintain the positive feelings left behind by Penny Cluse after it closed at the end of 2022 Frankie’s, 169 Cherry St., Burlington. 5-10 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; bar open for drinks from 4-11 p.m. most days. (802) 264-7094, www.frankiesvt.com Contact Brent Hallenbeck at bhallenbeck@freepressmedia.com If you're looking for "I Spys," dating or LTRs Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInDURHAM (Clemson Athletics) - The Clemson women’s basketball team (11-12 on Thursday evening in Cameron Indoor Stadium Senior Maddi Cluse led the Tigers in scoring notching a season-high 19 points and adding four rebounds This is the most points she has ever scored as a Tiger and knocking down three triples for the Tigers tying her season-high in threes made in a game Clemson trailed by just five points with eight minutes to play in the third quarter but an 11-0 Duke run helped the Blue Devils pull away North Carolina transfer Anya Poole added 11 points her sixth game this season in double-figures Duke’s ACC opponents entered the game shooting .372 with a triple by Cluse 40 seconds into the game to give Clemson their initial advantage over the Blue Devils a team that averages 76.1 points per outing was held to just 12 points in the first quarter by the Tiger defense Clemson outscored Duke 19-18 in the second quarter shooting 61.5% from the field and 75% from three Junior Mia Moore logged a team-high nine rebounds just two away from her season high of eleven The Tigers outrebounded the Blue Devils 30-28 but their defensive effort was not quite enough to outlast the No The Tigers round out their meetings with teams from the Triangle area in a meeting against the No February 9 at 2 p.m in Littlejohn Coliseum Clemson will host its annual National Girls and Women in Sports Celebration featuring activities for the whole family and appearances from many of Clemson’s varsity athletes – gates open at 1 p.m This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Madison Cluse is enjoying a strong start to her senior season on the Nordonia girls basketball team Cluse surpassed 1,000 career points in a victory over St Mary on Tuesday and then added to her scoring total in a win over Highland on Saturday Cluse scored a total of 36 points and grabbed 33 rebounds as Nordonia defeated visiting St “Madi can score inside and outside,” Nordonia coach Julie Buckler said “I don't know what I'd do if I had to play against her.” 17 rebounds and four assists in the win over STVM and Kennedy Syllaba contributed 11 points and eight rebounds three assists and two steals in the triumph over Highland and Wisconsin-Milwaukee recruit Hallie Majoros added in 20 points “Hallie and Madi combined to make 10 3s against Highland,” Buckler said “... I actually have two coaches on the floor they do an amazing job of helping their teammates and coaching their teammates out there They see things and are able to do things that some of these girls don't realize yet or see themselves.” Nordonia is scheduled to play at Wadsworth on Saturday Ali Menendez scored 20 points Saturday to lead visiting Hudson to a 66-44 girls basketball win over Kent Roosevelt The Explorers also received solid performances from Paige Albrecht (11 points) Constance Loring (10 points) and Kate Orazen (nine points) Ari Crockett paced Roosevelt with 17 points • North Canton Hoover topped host Canton McKinley 41-35 in overtime Saturday with two players in double figures – Emily Walker (17 points) and Grace Craig (14 points) • Megan Taraba scored 13 points to lead Walsh Jesuit to a 49-48 win over host St Madelyn Pietrowski and Colette Sutton both scored 10 points for Walsh • Jordan Weir and Keely Burke each scored 12 points in GlenOak's 57-27 win over Chardon Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin on Saturday Quentin Toles made eight 3-pointers and scored 37 points on Saturday to lead host Perry to a 76-61 boys basketball win over Highland Rob Huttner paced Highland with six 3-pointers and 26 points Donovan Birkett scored 19 points to lead Rootstown to a 62-59 boys basketball win over Chippewa on Saturday Nick Wancik scored 14 points and Adam Beery had 10 points for the Rovers Caleb Gasser scored 24 points for the Chipps Step-brothers Chances Carter-Hill and Amir Stewart helped guide Archbishop Hoban to a 35-6 win over host Massillon in the Division II state championship football game on Nov Carter-Hill and Stewart were both senior starters in 2020 and contributed to three of Hoban's five state title teams in the past six years Carter-Hill lined up at fullback and tight end on offense and at tackle and end on defense this year Stewart played on defense as a cornerback and safety “Chances and Amir are very nice kids,” Hoban coach Tim Tyrrell said “Chances started every game for us on offense and defense this year He probably had more snaps than everybody else Amir was kind of like the Swiss Army knife for us at defensive back He started three games in the regular season and two games in the playoffs He never came out against Hudson [in a 31-14 regional final win] He was a situational defensive back.” caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Shane Hamm in the state final against Massillon like a dream come true,” Carter-Hill said of playing with his brother “Not many people get to play with their brothers Anytime you get to play with someone that you grow up with Our family enjoyed taking pictures and other small memories like that that we will not forget It was a blessing to play hand-to-hand and down-for-down with my brother.” He has offers to play at Siena Heights and Briar Cliff “It was amazing playing on the team,” Stewart said we had dreams of playing on the next level together Being able to win three state championships together throughout our whole high school career was amazing.” Carter-Hill and Stewart played youth and middle school football together on teams in Streetsboro before enrolling at Hoban as freshmen They currently live with their family in Cuyahoga Falls “They are polar opposites personality-wise,” Tyrrell said “Amir is a little quiet and reserved when it comes to talking a bunch Chances is someone who doesn't stop talking Chances and Amir both bring a lot of consistency to the team and they both love working out in the weight room Michael Beaven can be reached at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MBeavenABJ and was a member of the SixFourteen Church Services handled Briceland Funeral Service | https://www.tribtoday.com | 240 Franklin Street SE Note: This story was originally published in June when Wilfred Paul Cluse was presented with the Richard J Wilfred Paul Cluse wasn’t quite part of the local generation that was spanked for speaking French in school he fully understood French was pas bon in the classroom plus or moins standard — pretty much standard,” said Cluse “She was Catholic and would do her whole rosary in French he had no choice but to learn how to communicate so she could become his woman I can recall the days in elementary school but I wasn’t understanding what was going on around me I wasn’t happy until I was playing outside with my friends Ils peut parler le vrai Creole de la paroisse St Martin” (They can speak the real Creole of St Cluse’s first day of school sparked a lifetime of education international travel and cultural activism which included the founding of C.R.E.O.L.E He was  rewarded for his efforts with the Richard J Catalon Creole Heritage award in June at Vermilionville The award is part of the free Creole Culture Day Cluse remains steadfastly proud of his Creole heritage His words can drift between English and French when he recalls his youth as a sharecropper’s son in the settlement of Prairie Basse graduating second in his class at Carver High School in Breaux Bridge He received a full scholarship to major in agriculture at Grambling State But his foreign language skills pushed him to change his major to French The decision led to a 42-year career in the classroom as a teacher Cluse’s pursuit of a master’s degree at the University of Arkansas required him to study abroad in Switzerland He’s since returned to Europe numerous times as an interpreter and educator Cluse perhaps made his greatest impact at home in 1986 when he received a phone call from longtime friend John Broussard Broussard told Cluse that families affiliated with a local French support group refused to house a Haitian exchange student because she was black “I told John I’m not sure what we can do,” said Cluse but a lot of other things that’s happening Everything that’s Creole was falling under the umbrella of Cajunism.” The incident sparked the birth of the nonprofit C.R.E.O.L.E which stands for Cultural Resourceful Education and Opportunities and Linguistic Enrichment Cluse served as first president of the group workshops and awards ceremonies and became active in Festival International de Louisiane Cluse was the main French announcer at the first festival But a revival is underway as the group focuses on the revitalization of the historic Holy Rosary Institute building and other projects Cluse said all are welcome to be a part of their efforts You don’t have to be a person who speaks Creole It’s not just the idea of race or just the limited cultural aspect of Creolism even though we’re mostly interested in developing our Creolité — because that’s me.” Talk about a tough act to follow, big shoes to fill or whichever well-worn phrase you prefer to describe a legend making way for an upstart: How does any restaurant succeed in the space that housed the Penny Cluse Café aka Burlington’s most-beloved restaurant for the better part of 25 years who expect to open their restaurant in that Cherry Street building in early April “It’s an incredible opportunity to take over a space like Penny Cluse,” said Jordan Ware “There’s a lot of positive energy surrounding this space and within the walls,” according to Cindi Kozak There will be significant differences between Penny Cluse and Frankie’s was known for breakfast and lunch infused with California flair Frankie’s will be a dinner place leaning heavily on Vermont farmers Ware and Kozak come to Frankie’s with prime Vermont-restaurant-industry pedigrees attended The Culinary Institute of America He then worked for head chef Eric Warnstedt as a line cook at Smokejacks which was at the corner of Main and Church streets Warnstedt went on to create one of Vermont’s most celebrated restaurants, Hen of the Wood, with locations in Waterbury and Burlington. Ware, a past James Beard Award nominee served as chef de cuisine for Hen of the Wood for a decade He also worked at another of the Burlington area’s top eateries Kozak began her Vermont restaurant career at The Alchemist brewery and pub in Waterbury which closed after flooding from Tropical Storm Irene in 2011 has since found huge success in Stowe with its line of beers including Heady Topper.) Kozak worked as a server at another Farmhouse property She then spent 10 years shuttling between both Hen of the Wood restaurants She and Ware have worked with each other for years They talked in general terms from time to time about opening a restaurant together “That was the goal in the back of our minds,” Kozak said Those vague plans didn’t take shape until Reeves and Cluse closed their ultra-popular eatery a year ago Penny Cluse was renowned for being a hard place to get into Lines often formed on the sidewalk along Cherry Street as breakfast patrons waited for their chance to be seated in the homey eatery Kozak said she and Ware spoke with Reeves in February about plans for their restaurant She said he was excited to welcome them into the building he owned and made food in for a quarter-century “Jordan and Cindi clearly have the experience to pull off a new restaurant,” Reeves told the Burlington Free Press in an email “They were fans of Penny Cluse and are tapping into our positive vibe They are making solid and much needed improvements to the space They have assembled a good team to help them I am very enthusiastic and supportive of their (endeavor).” Those improvements in the building will be fairly minimal centering on installing a new bar and what Ware called “light remodeling.” Frankie’s will seat about 70 customers slightly more than Penny Cluse could accommodate as the new restaurant will add room for diners in the upstairs space energetic place that gives off plenty of warmth Patrons will be nourished by a still-to-be-developed menu Kozak said she and Ware prefer to say the food at Frankie’s will be locally sourced with a chef-driven Ware said they want the cuisine to be ambitious “We don’t want to paint ourselves in a corner with that (farm-to-table description).” They are excited about working with the state’s deep pool of farms and farmers A lot of people come down from Montreal to Burlington” because of the city’s dining reputation “To have it (the farm community) be five miles away is such a treat,” Kozak said They’re seeking employees who are passionate about the food industry and see restaurant work as not just another job They want to build a meaningful atmosphere Ware’s wife, Dana Parseliti, is general manager at Honey Road, also a James Beard Award-nominated restaurant who was in the restaurant business in Connecticut for 50 years That familial immersion in the restaurant industry has Ware wanting to share what he called the “tremendous beauty” of hospitality He and Kozak are fully aware of the struggles of Burlington in recent years, with increased gunfire incidents and other safety concerns as well as the appearance of downtown buildings and streets Much like the idea of moving into a much-loved restaurant Ware and Kozak said they won’t let Burlington’s problems scare them off They hope as young entrepreneurs – Kozak is 39 Ware is 41 – they’ll help inspire others of their generation to invest in and be stewards of downtown Burlington “but we’re running toward it rather than running away from it.” Contact Brent Hallenbeck at bhallenbeck@freepressmedia.com A renowned breakfast and lunch spot in Burlington — one that has played host to hungry locals curious visitors and American heads of state — will close this fall after being open for nearly a quarter-century The Penny Cluse Café doles out pancakes omelets and tacos from its homey location at the corner of Cherry Street and South Winooski Avenue Husband-and-wife team Charles Reeves and Holly Cluse opened the restaurant in the spring of 1998 when they were 31 years old The restaurant will close “sometime after Thanksgiving this year,” Reeves wrote Tuesday to the Burlington Free Press in an email. The closure of Penny Cluse was first reported by Seven Days We have had an amazing journey,” Reeves wrote to the Free Press “We are so thankful and feel such gratitude to the people of Burlington I'm ready for one last chapter in my career and while I don't know what that is yet it is time for us to move on from Penny Cluse.” He expressed thanks to his “amazing and supportive staff,” especially longtime managers Maura O'Sullivan and Anastasia Evans “We are hoping people will come see us before we go,” Reeves wrote From 2016:Veep eats blueberry pancakes at Penny Cluse Cafe in BTV Penny Cluse was the kind of place Yogi Berra must have been thinking about when he supposedly said “Nobody goes there anymore — it’s too crowded.” Pascolo Ristorante will move from its location further north on Church Street into the Sweetwaters space New addition:Misery Loves Co. opens sister restaurant in Winooski, Onion City Chicken & Oyster Reeves said the adjacent Penny Cluse-affiliated eatery “is getting leased to another business.” He did not provide additional details Recent years have been tough on the Penny Cluse Café, and all restaurants, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Reeves wrote in an email to the Free Press last fall about the challenges he and other Burlington restaurant owners have faced since the pandemic turned life upside-down including the lack of people seeking restaurant jobs and increased concerns about safety and cleanliness downtown Peep this:Two Vermont resorts named best in U.S. for fall foliage travel “The thing that I talk to other owners and managers about mostly is the exhaustion,” Reeves wrote last year “We have been trying to keep afloat through all of this Contact Brent Hallenbeck at bhallenbeck@freepressmedia.com. Follow Brent on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BrentHallenbeck This look at Halvorson’s Upstreet Café is the latest in a series of profiles by the Burlington Free Press on long-standing restaurants in Chittenden County How do restaurants that date to the 20th century remain relevant while continuing to do the things that have given them such staying power The management team at Halvorson’s Upstreet Café reached a moment of decision last winter The Burlington restaurant that has anchored the top block of Church Street since 1979 was struggling to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic nothing seems to be the same,” according to manager Jason Lenihan who said higher wages and food costs were hurting Halvorson’s bottom line It’s difficult to control those costs in the same way.” Reeves didn’t want to run his own restaurant anymore the managers at Halvorson’s loved what Reeves could do for them Reeves came to Halvorson’s as what he calls “a management assistant,” and in early May he transformed the longtime eatery’s menu Halvorson’s now offers dishes based partly on what the restaurant has always done and partly on what Reeves created at Penny Cluse Halvorson’s customers will find some of Reeves’ signatures from the greens he favors in salads to the chorizo that spices up some of his dishes those customers will still find the casual welcoming restaurant/pub feel Halvorson’s has always sought Some members of the community want Halvorson’s to keep that hangout vibe while moving forward “It’s a place that has a feeling kind of like home like a British pub,” said customer Colin Hilliard who’s happy to see “two of my favorite Burlington institutions” – Halvorson’s and Penny Cluse – coming together essentially as one “It’s exciting and good for the downtown,” Hilliard said Larry Halvorson founded his namesake restaurant 44 years ago. His son, Tim Halvorson, and Tim’s wife, Kristin, own the restaurant but devote much of their time to overseeing their adjacent spot, E.B. Strong’s Prime Steakhouse Lenihan – and now Reeves – make many of the decisions at Halvorson’s starting in 1983 when Tim Halvorson led installation of the outdoor courtyard in back of the restaurant while wielding “a shovel and a five-gallon bucket.” Lenihan came to Halvorson’s in 1992 fresh out of college and “trying not to get a real job,” he said until he went to work for a software company in 2000 He returned to Halvorson’s in September 2019 with plans to return soon to the software industry He had three job offers from software companies in early 2020 The pandemic led two of those three companies to institute hiring freezes Despite the temporary shutdown of restaurants as COVID-19 raged This is all so uncertain; I’m going to see what happens” at Halvorson’s during Lenihan’s first tenure at Halvorson’s that Reeves and Cluse opened the café named for Cluse’s childhood dog with lines forming regularly outside the homey restaurant to sample Reeves’ California-inspired dishes Reeves wanted to go out on top at Penny Cluse so he and his wife closed the café near the end of 2022 He knew he would miss the restaurant world he had devoted his adult life to but felt that absence even more than he expected Strong’s and were struck by the service they received who said she had worked at the restaurant for five years and loved her job it’s the fourth time I’ve heard this story He has known Tim Halvorson “forever,” he said and is a big supporter of the top block of Church Street that’s about 500 feet from where Penny Cluse did business on Cherry Street He wrote Halvorson a letter – “Some people still do that,” Reeves said – professing his fondness for Halvorson’s way of doing business just as Halvorson’s was having those hard conversations about how to survive in a post-pandemic world “You have to reinvent at certain times just to stay viable,” Lenihan said “Charles landed in the middle of that discussion Reeves and Halvorson’s unveiled the new menu May 9 “What we did was take a menu and make it more of what it is,” Reeves said so he focused on burgers – Halvorson’s “Bailey Melt” burger/grilled-cheese hybrid is a mainstay – and expanded the sandwich and salad offerings He added dishes that are part of his repertoire including some that Penny Cluse diners will recognize such as a Reuben sandwich a chicken-and-biscuits plate and chorizo breakfast/brunch tacos His salads will sport his favorite combination of greens – romaine Some fans mourning the closure of Reeves’ longtime restaurant might find solace on Church Street “There’s a Penny Cluse clientele that may not have thought of Halvorson’s before,” he said Reeves favors fresh produce and wants to emphasize local “And he likes to have it cut a certain way,” according to Lenihan noting that he isn’t yet letting anyone slice red onions but himself He’s bringing some of his “tricks and techniques” to Halvorson’s kitchen helping the staff hone its knife skills and learn greater efficiency to help the restaurant strive for greater viability Burgers and sandwiches at Halvorson’s had come with standard sides; now they come with sides a la carte That means customers have to pay extra for side dishes but Lenihan said it allows diners to better choose what sides they would prefer Reinvention of any restaurant’s menu is bound to rankle some regulars Lenihan spoke to a merchant on the top block of Church Street who was upset that Halvorson’s did away with its chicken-salad sandwich “I can’t believe you don’t have the mushroom-lentil burger anymore,” Lenihan’s said his daughter told him A customer who vowed not to return after flatbread pizza was removed from the menu came back a few days later on Mother’s Day ‘Just try the food and talk to me about it,’” Lenihan said Reeves knows it’s hard for regulars to see their favorites disappear “I’m not saying any of these items is gone forever,” he said but some may need to be “wholly or partially reinvented.” “I want to reintroduce it subtly,” Reeves said “I’m specific in how I want to do things.” Some longtime customers are happy to see the changes who both live and work in downtown Burlington sat at Halvorson’s bar on a recent Thursday and discussed what keeps them coming back to the restaurant every week “It’s very approachable,” said Nick, a Burlington native who works across the street from Halvorson’s at J.L. Davis Realty He said he likes the customer service and that Halvorson’s can do an upscale dinner or a beer with mac and cheese equally well “The Bailey Melt’s a classic for a reason,” said Hilliard, who also works across Church Street at the Burlington Business Association “The salads are good.” He’s sure Reeves’ arrival will keep Halvorson’s thriving “This is certainly going to work out really well,” Hilliard said it might have a lot to do with the decades of experience Lenihan and Reeves have in the industry all of which they’re calling upon as they bring significant change to Halvorson’s “Between Jason and I we have 350 years in the restaurant business,” Reeves said “All in the last two weeks,” Lenihan joked Halvorson’s offers free summer concerts at 6:30 p.m benefitting the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital benefitting the Vermont Language Justice Project INFORMATON: (802) 658-0278, www.halvorsonsupstreetcafe.com is reopening its dining room to the celebration of expectant taste buds across the area.  The breakfast and lunch restaurant on Cherry Street announced its Aug "It's like Christmas came early," "Just in time for my VT visit!" and "hooray for all of us!" were among the comments to the popular social media post The restaurant maintained serving customers through a takeout window during the COVID-19 pandemic.  More downtown news: Black Diamond outdoor store coming to downtown Burlington as L.L. Bean leaves The popular eatery has attracted not just Burlingtonians; its history is quite presidential. Joe Biden was documented having blueberry pancakes at Penny Cluse while he was vice president in 2016.  The website pennycluse.com says the menu will be posted soon More: Where to get breakfast in Burlington (other than Penny Cluse) Penny Cluse, 169 Cherry St., Burlington.  8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday through Monday.  Contact reporter April Barton at abarton@freepressmedia.com or 802-660-1854. Follow her on Twitter @aprildbarton. Vice President Joe Biden ate blueberry pancakes Friday morning at Penny Cluse Café in downtown Burlington, a popular breakfast restaurant. He swung by the restaurant to eat breakfast before addressing a crowd at the University of Vermont about his work heading a White House task force charged with speeding the progress of cancer research. U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy and Leahy’s wife, Marcelle Leahy, along with Sue Minter, the Democratic candidate for governor of Vermont, joined the vice president for breakfast. “He was awesome, he was really great,” said Maura O’Sullivan, Penny Cluse chef. “He was very generous with his time.” Megan Millett, a server wearing a blue flannel shirt, waited on the vice president’s table. Millett, who has worked at Penny Cluse for two years, was serving a different group of people when they mentioned to her that friends would be joining them. “Of course,” she said. That would be fine. “So they ate, waiting for their friends,” Millett said. “And they name-dropped their friend: The vice president of the United States.” Soon, Biden’s “entourage” arrived, and Millett found herself slightly nervous. She said her hands were shaking when she served tea to Marcelle Leahy. An assistant of the vice president’s set her at ease. “They’re just people like the rest of us,” Millett was assured. “They put their pants on one leg at a time.” O’Sullivan, who typically has Fridays off, was drinking coffee with a friend at Mirabelle’s when a woman she knows came into the restaurant and saw O'Sullivan there. Are you at Mirabelle's because you can’t get into your own restaurant? the woman asked her.  It was then that O'Sullivan learned the vice president and his Secret Service detail was at Penny Cluse. O’Sullivan walked a few blocks north to her restaurant, where she had to talk her way past the security team. “It went from a busy Friday morning when you’re doing a million things to … the secret service is here,” O’Sullivan said. Millett approved of the vice president’s breakfast choice. “When in Vermont, you got to do some maple syrup, right?” she said. “You know what I mean.” Before ordering his stack of pancakes, Biden circulated around the room to shake hands and pose for photos. Justin and Jessica White, expectant parents who were in Burlington from New Haven, Connecticut, for a last trip before their baby is born, were sitting at the counter when the vice president walked in. Biden posed for a photo with the two of them and gave them some parenting tips. White said he had no idea the vice president was coming for pancakes when the couple picked their restaurant. Biden’s party of four spent $53.84. The vice president tips well, Millett said. This story first published online Oct. 21, 2016. Staff Writer Jess Aloe contributed to this story. Contact Sally Pollak at spollak@burlingtonfreepress.com or 660-1859 Clemson Gymnastics announced that they will be appearing in the 2025 Sprouts Farmers Markets Collegiate Quad meet The Collegiate Quad debuted in 2024 and returns for a second edition The two-day meet will feature a dozen programs including NC State and California from the ACC Excited for the chance to compete with the best of the best at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad meet in 2025 with #TeamTwopic.twitter.com/ej6XevoR84 Maddi Cluse announced that she will return next season for Clemson Women’s Basketball Cluse is back.Let’s get to work 🐅 pic.twitter.com/VO9BFRDGgn Cluse was limited to 13 appearances in 2023-24 due to a season-ending injury after starting 31 games the season prior Clemson Women’s Tennis defeated Georgia Tech yesterday 4-3 to advance to the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament Clemson Men’s Tennis defeated Notre Dame 4-1 to advance to the next round of the ACC Tournament Clemson Women’s Lacrosse scored a stunning overtime victory at Pittsburgh 12-11 in their final regular season game Overtime dubs to end the regular season!!! 🤩PS Natalie Shurtleff is just a freshman 😏 pic.twitter.com/ERSbP2BC4P The Tigers finish the season at 10-6 and 3-6 within the conference Final seedings and schedules for the ACC Tournament should be decided soon Clemson Women’s Golf and Clemson Men’s Golf continue their respective ACC Championships today Clemson Rowing begins the Big Ten Invitational today Clemson Softball will begin their three-game road series against Notre Dame today at 4:00 PM Clemson Baseball will begin their three-game home series against Pittsburgh at 6:00 PM Tristan Smith will make his first appearance since returning from injury © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Excited for the chance to compete with the best of the best at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad meet in 2025 with #TeamTwopic.twitter.com/ej6XevoR84 Cluse is back.Let’s get to work 🐅 pic.twitter.com/VO9BFRDGgn Overtime dubs to end the regular season!!! 🤩PS Natalie Shurtleff is just a freshman 😏 pic.twitter.com/ERSbP2BC4P Clemson Gymnastics announces first 2025 meet a key player announces a return to Women's Basketball and several teams are competing for a conference championship The Amsterdam-based watch brand renowned for its timeless sophistication and strong focus on materials, quality, and style has just opened its first monobrand store in Taiwan in partnership with Bluebell This CLUSE monobrand POS is a rotating pop-up in partnership with Eslite which aims to attract visitors from different cities in Taiwan This month the pop-up stops at the Eslite Taichung Parklane by CMP Store created in Amsterdam in 2013 by a team of young and ambitious individuals is a fast-growing watch brand for the modern and fashionable woman one of the oldest watchmaking towns in France and elegant design yet remaining faithful to its heritage by crafting authentic CLUSE was discovered at an early stage by the fashion-loving crowd on social media it has acquired worldwide fame on Instagram and Facebook being recognized as a successful Facebook story for its effective digital marketing strategies Thanks to the profound in-house knowledge of Social Media marketing a data-driven approach and a clear customer profile based on campaign data CLUSE has managed to grow to a staggering 1.6 million Facebook fans and 700K Instagram followers within 3 years This success is boosted by CLUSE’s brand ambassadors who are recognized among the most influential kol worldwide like @sincerelyjules and @retroflame who live their life with the same philosophy of the brand Drawing inspiration from minimalist fashion and subtle colours CLUSE represents the mentality of simplicity of being grounded CLUSE is designed not only to indicate time but also to define the best moments in life CLUSE is designed for dynamic and versatile women One CLUSE watch allows infinite possibilities thanks to the mix&match easily interchangeable straps CLUSE has soon become the most popular lifestyle watch brand in Europe and invested into a high-end network of distributors The latest collection is La Tétragone (this new classic square shape design launched in SS18) the brand has started a new adventure into jewelry Three collections have been created Essentielle and Amourette to translated unique personalities into unique pieces CLUSE is definitely a brand to keep an eye on, strong brand identity,  effective digital marketing strategy and an army of influencers boosting its brand image It sure feels weird that for the first time since 1997 there’s no place called the Penny Cluse Café doling out delicious breakfasts and warm camaraderie on Cherry Street The beloved morning spot closed at the end of last year after nearly a quarter-century in business Where else can a person possibly go for a sit-down breakfast in Burlington How can someone get pancakes or a plate of fried eggs now that the gold standard for breakfast in town is no more plenty of places to get a sit-down breakfast in Vermont’s largest city These are just some of the locations that go beyond coffee and pastries and serve up the hearty helpings of sustenance you crave They may or may not live up to your Penny Cluse-inspired lofty expectations but if you’re in Burlington and you’re craving that first meal of the day but on the far western side of the street from where Penny Cluse had been located in the Courtyard Burlington Harbor Hotel features a breakfast menu that includes two eggs any style a classic eggs Benedict and an egg sandwich Bleu Northeast Kitchen, 25 Cherry St. (802) 864-8600, www.bleuvt.com The Café HOT, 198 Main St. (802) 881-9899, www.thecafehot.com Café Saint PaulPart of the recent renewal of the stretch of St Café Saint Paul can go all hipster with avocado toast but also has a menu including a breakfast burrito and a variety of breakfast sandwiches The Vermonter adds apples and maple syrup to the egg Café Saint Paul, 196 St. Paul St. (802) 239-1774, www.cafesaintpaulvt.com The New England chain with a location on St. Paul Street calls what it offers all-day brunch rather than breakfast, but the gist is the same. The Friendly Toast tempts a.m a breakfast sandwich on French toasted doughnuts and huevos rancheros The Friendly Toast, 86 St. Paul St. (802) 495-5491, www.thefriendlytoast.com/burlington-vt Don’t let the name fool ya – Handy’s Lunch is at least as renowned for its breakfast offerings as for the midday repast in its name A homey South End spot since the year World War II ended Handy’s has a sizable breakfast menu that includes something truly sizable in and of itself: The Chuck Norris egg and mounds o’ meat beast of a sandwich made TV famous on “Man v Handy’s Lunch, 74 Maple St. (802) 864-5963, https://handyslunch.wordpress.com/ Another Burlington eatery that’s been around forever – since 1925 technically – the classic Bank Street spot is renowned for its buttermilk pancakes and offers a variety of eggs Benedict dishes Henry’s joined Penny Cluse as the downtown Burlington breakfast sites most likely to have prospective diners waiting in line for tables Henry’s Diner, 155 Bank St. (802) 862-9010, www.henrysdinervt.com The menu for the restaurant inside Hotel Vermont covers the greatest hits of breakfast Juniper makes classics like two-egg plates and buttermilk pancakes and also dispenses more-surprising items such as mushroom tartine and breakfast nachos Juniper Bar & Restaurant, 41 Cherry St. (855) 650-0080, https://hotelvt.com/eat-drink/juniper/ Crepes rule at this Vermont mini-chain The menu at the Burlington waterfront location features intriguingly-named items including the Breakfast Monster (egg roasted squash and basil sunflower-seed pesto in a crepe) and Noah’s Ark (two eggs any style two cinnamon-sugared crepes and a side of Vermont maple syrup) The Skinny Pancake, 60 Lake St. (802) 540-0188, https://skinnypancake.com/locations/burlington/ spot that takes a beachside approach to its food and vibe The Spot’s breakfast menu taps into that theme with its Morning Surfari three-egg omelet as well as The Tsunami cheddar cheese and home fries in a wrap topped with salsa The Spot, 210 Shelburne Road. (802) 540-1778, www.thespotvt.com There is no train station in Morzine but this doesn't mean that you can't come here by train More than ever encouraged as the sustainable and eco-friendly travel option getting to Morzine by train is still worth the effort with short transfer times from its closest major transport hub You'll get more leg room and it's a great way to enjoy the passing scenery Cluses (29km) and Thonon-les-Bains (32km) are the nearest train stations to Morzine High-speed TGV trains from Paris stop here it then takes around 40 minutes by car and 45-55 minutes by bus to reach Morzine Some airport transfers may be able to pick you up in Cluses as it's on the route from Geneva airport - contact them directly There's no direct link between London and Morzine by train.  These are rough journey times for the nearest destination How much it costs depends a lot on when you travel February half-term and Easter are obviously more expensive Our top tip is to try to book as early as possible Eurostar ski train tickets usually go out for sale in mid-July and that's when they're at their cheapest TGV train tickets from Paris to other French cities are normally available to buy 120 to 90 days before your travel time There are a few different options when trying to make your way from Cluses or Thonon-les-Bains train stations to resort Find the current bus timetables on our bus services page For more information on journey times or to book tickets online You can also book through the Trainline you'll probably be carrying additional luggage like ski boots Train lines tend to have more generous allowances than airlines If you can make travelling by train work for you you'll be helping to reduce your impact of your trip on the environment Read more about skiing and the environment SeeMorzine.com is a SeeTheWorld destination WATCHPRO USA Peers Hardy has moved quickly to plug the hole in its portfolio left by Daniel Wellington which it stopped distributing earlier this year Two new brands have been added to the distributor’s stable the first of which has been revealed as Cluse a Netherlands-based watch business known for its Skandi-design fashion watches with sales driven by actively courting young bloggers and social media ambassadors First featured by WatchPro in November we revealed the brand already had a following in the UK and was stocked by British retailers include Selfridges Fenwick and a host of independent fashion shops and jewellers including Wave and Bond Jewellers Peers Hardy secured placement with Watch Shop two weeks ago which is already reporting strong sell-through “The La Roche range has proven particularly popular This unprecedented success has catapulted Cluse to WatchShop’s Top 10 Ladies Watch Brand as well as the esteemed Top 20 Brand hot list,” the distributor reports The minimalistic and feminine collection from Cluse has  five core collections with prices starting at around £80 Cluse is keen to use social media brand influencers to promote its collections to its target market and has already signed up Caroline Receveur a London blogger with 671,000 Twitter followers Dutch model and social media influencer Negin Mirsalehi is designing a limited edition collection of watches for Cluse “Does it get more exciting than this?!” Ms Mirsalehi asks excitedly on her blog “I started wearing Cluse a few years ago because I really loved their watches The brand really knows what is going on right now Their watches are both functional and versatile And then we started working together and we both loved it Out of that collaboration came this design project,” she describes Ms Mirsalehi has 4.3 million followers on Instagram and 200,000 subscribers to her Youtube channel “What I really wanted to create with this project timeless but also something that I had never seen before Cluse is distributed by Peers Hardy in the UK WATCHPRO Danish fashion watch brand finds a new UK agent after parting with Peers Hardy a Dublin-based fashion and jewellery agency has become the exclusive agent for CLUSE watches and jewellery for the whole of the UK from this month Brandmark is currently sales agents in Ireland and Northern Ireland for CLUSE Secrid Wallets and French jewellery line Nilai Paris They also represent Orbitkey and Dutch Shipping rope bracelet company Pig & Hen in the UK and Ireland CLUSE watches were previously distributed by Peers Hardy “We are delighted to be able to build on the fantastic work that Paul Buchanan has done on CLUSE in the UK we hope to offer an excellent service to all doors and intend on bringing CLUSE to numerous trade shows including Top Drawer,” says Brandmarks director Lee Graham US fashion retailer Anthropologie is preparing an online launch for fashion watch brands Cluse and Lola Rose Both watch brands are represented by UK distributor Peers Hardy has an international reputation for picking winners in fashion and will give confidence to UK retailers working with the Cluse and Lola Rose Anthropologie already stocks two other Peers Hardy watch brands: Orla Kiely Time and Henry London The Anthropologie customer is described as creative minded and fashion conscious which offers UK pricing and delivery options if accessed from this country will offer eight Cluse SKUs including bestsellers La Bohème with rose gold case and grey leather strap and the Minuit Mesh in both yellow and rose gold There will also be nine SKUs from Lola Rose with the Small Stone Dial in Malachite and Turquoise and the Friendship in Natural Mix being stand out pieces Cluse is expected online in July and Lola Rose will be launching in August was found dead from a gunshot wound on Saturday in a garage near his home in Surrey He was chairman of Croydon Athletic, whose owner Mazhar Majeed was arrested in August following allegations that members of the Pakistan cricket team were involved in spot fixing during their recent tour of England was reportedly devastated when the Ryman League club became embroiled in the scandal A statement posted on the club's website said: "Croydon Athletic are deeply shocked and saddened by the sudden tragic death of their chairman "Our thoughts and prayers are with David's wife and children and we would ask everyone to respect their privacy at this devastating time for them." Croydon Athletic's former manager Tim O'Shea told The Times: "He was very upset at the allegations and the club getting involved "It probably hit him harder than most because of his personal friendship with Majeed "He wanted nothing more than for the club to succeed and he was probably upset and affected by it more than anybody else." Majeed was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers and released on bail The spot-fixing allegations centred on the timing of no-balls delivered during the Test match Undercover reporters from the News of the World allegedly paid a middleman £150,000 and in return were told exact details relating to play during the following day Majeed was apparently seen with a pile of money in front of him Le Cluse's body was found at 10.40am on Saturday in a garage in Park Gate Road following reports of a man with a gunshot wound The Metropolitan police said: "A 44-year-old man suffered what is believed to have been a gunshot wound to the head "The circumstances of his death are being treated as unexplained Premium women’s watch brand CLUSE has opened its first pop-up shop in Citadium, a ‘streetwear’ department store in Paris. Coinciding with an exclusive launch of its latest La Roche Petite Dalmatian capsule collection, the minimalistic fashion watch brand has developed a distinctly CLUSE furniture concept in rose gold to present its range. CLUSE, which is already renowned for its online presence, said the pop-up shop presented the “perfect opportunity” for the business to align its online and offline strengths. The success of this pop-up shop and the positive reaction from store staff, customers and retail partners alike has led CLUSE to adapt this furniture for POS around the world. Peers Hardy, CLUSE’s UK distributor, is currently reviewing all of the brand’s key accounts before selecting the right locations to opening more pop-up shops in September. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * 140 Old Street, London, EC1V 9BJ, United Kingdom Arron Cluse: Court told he was introduced to Hells Angels at 14. Link copiedShareShare articleA man whose father introduced him to the Hells Angels when he was 14 and whose brother was stabbed to death recently is asking an Adelaide court for mercy. The District Court heard Hells Angels nominee, Arron Cluse, severed ties with the motorcycle club after his involvement in a home invasion and attack in which a rival gang member's son was shot. The court was told a group of men smashed their way into the house at suburban Semaphore of former Fink, turned Mongols, gang member Mark Sandery in September 2011. Mr Sandery's 11-year-old son was shot twice in the leg during the incident. That a group of men should band together to terrorise and ultimately shoot at a family asleep in their beds, over what might be described as a pathetic grievance with another group of grown men, is primitive to say the least. The prosecution said Cluse, 24, used a hammer to smash windows and terrify the occupants of the house. A judge previously found Cluse guilty of three aggravated charges of serious criminal trespass and two of endangering life. The man's lawyer Martin Anders said his client's relationship with the Hells Angels had ended, and his father was no longer a member. "He has severed ties with the Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle club and has no intention of resuming those ties. To a degree that is assisted by the fact that his father has also severed ties," the court heard. Cluse was introduced to the gang at 14 by his father, the court heard, and prosecutor Sandi McDonald urged the judge to put very little weight on that submission. "This is a man who lies on his oath, will say what he needs to in his own defence," he said. "This man aspired to become one of the 1 per cent of people that hold themselves unaccountable to the law, above the law." Cluse's teenage brother Kayne David Cluse, 18, was fatally stabbed last January and a man has been charged with murder over the attack. Mr Anders said that loss had a devastating impact on Arron Cluse and he urged the judge to show leniency. "There is no evidence nor any finding that suggests that this defendant was in any way the author of these relevant events," he told the hearing. "There is no evidence to suggest that he directed or controlled the actions of others ... no evidence he handles the gun at any stage or evidence to suggest he supplies the ammunition." The prosecutor said Cluse and those with him had behaved primitively. "That a group of men should band together to terrorise and ultimately shoot at a family asleep in their beds, over what might be described as a pathetic grievance with another group of grown men, is primitive to say the least," she said. "It is only by chance that the consequences of the actions of these men was not more extreme." Cluse is to be sentenced later in the month. The Director of Public Prosecutions has confirmed no-one else is facing charges over the shooting at the Sandery home. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) Arron Cluse was found guilty of being involved in the shooting. Link copiedShareShare articleA Hells Angels nominee is found guilty of a role in the shooting of a rival gang member's 11-year-old son. Prosecutors said the shooting in Adelaide's north-west in September 2011 was part of an escalating war between rival gangs. The prosecution said up to eight men smashed their way into the Semaphore home of former Fink and now Mongols gang member Mark Sandery, with four shots being fired at two of Mr Sandery's sons who were in bed. Prosecutors told the Adelaide District Court it was a coordinated attack and 23-year-old Arron Cluse's role was to use a hammer to smash windows. Cluse said he was at a Hells Angels meeting and had not even heard of Mr Sandery until after the shooting. In his judgement, Judge Gordon Barrett found Cluse guilty of three charges, ruling that even though he did not have the gun, he must have known of the plan to fire it once at the house. "I am satisfied that the common purpose of the group was to strike fear into the occupants of the house. It was a coordinated attack with that purpose," he said. "I am satisfied that the plan agreed to by the group was to attack the house in various ways simultaneously. "I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that [Cluse] knew that one, at least, of the group was going to go into the house prepared to fire a gun. "In those circumstances the accused was part of a joint enterprise with the shooter to enter the house and endanger the lives of the two boys who were in the front bedroom." Cluse's supporters cried after the guilty verdict was read out and some stormed from the courtroom. Editor's note (February 19): This story has been amended to clarify the nature of the charges Cluse was convicted of. Link copiedShareShare articleA man with links to the Hells Angels has denied in an Adelaide court he shot the 11-year-old son of a rival gang member. Arron James Cluse, 23, is on trial accused of storming into the Semaphore home of former Fink, now Mongols, gang member Mark Sandery, shooting his son twice in the leg and narrowly missing the boy's brother with two further shots. Prosecutors alleged the shooting was part of an escalating war between gangs. Cluse told the District Court he was not a Hells Angel but wanted to be, because his dad was. He said he was at a club meeting on the night of the shooting and had never heard of Mr Sandery until media reports about the shooting. Cluse told the court that since he he been charged, his house had been shot at and set alight. CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced