CLIMB EVERY
GREEN MOUNTAIN
The lush greenery of Vermont taps into the
spirit of wanderlust. Yet, novices may have
a difficult time trekking through the woods
without inflicting massive damage upon
the pristine surroundings. The Land Rover
Experience Driver School at the Equinox in
Manchester offers a range of programs to
teach participants to navigate treacherous
terrain in four-wheel-drive vehicles, using
an ecologically sound approach.
Lessons range from a one-hour primer
to a multiday, customizable expedition.
Instructors teach proper techniques for
steep off-road ascents and descents, dicey
side tilts, log and creek crossings, and bumpy rock
crawls. And, the school’s entire lineup of well-equipped
Land Rover vehicles is available for use. Essentially, the
school builds confidence in overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles with one’s conscience intact.
After students have a handle on basic skills, they are
deemed ready to take on the trails of the Vermont coun-
tryside. Thrills and common sense intertwine as partici-
pants learn step-by-step problem-solving skills to cope
with challenges presented by the natural elements. Land
Rover’s philosophy dates back to the national Tread
Lightly campaign, a 1985 Forest Service initiative origi-
nally launched in response to the increase in wilderness
damage from popular off-roading sports.
L
Reel Life
Long before Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw
stepped out in her Manolos, Holly Golightly
took New York by storm in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
But the classic film, one of the most celebrated in
cinema history, almost didn’t make it to the screen.
Audrey Hepburn originally refused the part of carefree call
girl Golightly, afraid it would tarnish her image. Censors were on
high alert over the racy script. Director Blake Edwards nearly came
to blows with actor George Peppard, and creative differences
erupted between studio executives and the film’s crew.
In Fifth Avenue, 5 AM: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany’s,
and the Dawn of the Modern Woman (HarperStudio, 2010), Sam
Wasson unfolds the dramatic story of the film’s creation. He
also offers a fascinating slice of social history, showing why zany,
glamorous Golightly raised eyebrows in 1961—and how she
redefined sex in the city and changed film and fashion forever.
BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S:
BEHIND THE SCENES
• Marilyn Monroe was the first
choice to play Holly Golightly, but
the sexy starlet was likely to draw
too much attention from censors.
•The party scene was one of the
most expensive ever bankrolled
by Paramount. It required seven
days of filming and lasts only
13 minutes on screen.
• An open “cat call” was held at
the Commodore Hotel to cast the
part of Holly’s feline friend.
• It was the first movie granted permission to film inside the upscale
jewelry store Tiffany & Co.
•The original, less dramatic ending
landed on the cutting room floor.
